When Gods Rise Again
by Cyrus Truth
Summary: Seven years after the Second Sorceress War, a new gang of cadets at Balamb Garden work towards becoming SeeDs. However, a shadowy organization works behind the scenes to obtain a power that could bring the world to its knees. Review...it's good for you!
1. Chapter 1

It was dark and humid in the Training Center of Balamb Garden as a lone fighter stood calmly as he stared down a pair of grats; plant-like monsters who were able to utilize poison and sleep attacks in conjunction with beating their prey into submission with their whip-like tendrils. The grats let out a low grumble as they continued to sway back and forth, just waiting for their target to make the first move.

The lone warrior chuckled at the grats' hesitation as he readied himself for a battle. He wore a black T-shirt, brown cargo pants, grey boots, and a dark brown tactical vest. On his forehead, he wore a light green bandana that complemented his hazel eyes. The bandana kept the sweat from his golden-brown hair from pouring down his face and obscuring his vision as he grabbed a hold of his weapon of choice: a six-foot tall scythe with a two-foot long curving blade.

The man smiled as he remembered the looks on his SeeD instructor's face when he elected to wield the scythe he named "Tempest." In all the years that Balamb Garden had been in operation, no one had ever chosen to use a scythe, as many thought it was both a strange and impractical weapon compared to the usual stock that most SeeD candidates chose.

This man, however, liked being different. He specifically chose the scythe as his weapon because no one had attempted to master a weapon like this. True, in the hands of a novice, a scythe was a clumsy and slow weapon. But in his hands…

One of the grats eventually became impatient and decided to hurl its acidic gastric juices, which the warrior deftly dodged. His scythe in his left hand, the man quickly ran towards the attacking grat and drove the blade of Tempest deep into the monster's gullet, slicing it open. The grat screeched in agony as its mate started swiping at the warrior with its tendrils in a wild yet focused manner. The warrior in turn removed his blade from the first grat and started blocking the second's swings and blows with Tempest's staff. He could have just backed away (grats being relatively slow creatures) and avoided the onslaught altogether, but he wanted to test his reflexes. Finally, the grat realized that its physical attacks weren't working as it reeled back and unleashed a cloud of sleeping gas. The warrior quickly backed far enough away to avoid the gas as he circled around his opponent until the grat's back was to him. In a flash, he brought his scythe down hard on the grat, cleaving the plant monster into two identical halves.

The warrior let out a sigh of relief. While grats were not by any means the most dangerous of monsters, he had no illusions of being invincible. He fought and trained for many reasons, but one of them was not the desire for some cheap thrill. As he finally caught his breath, he felt the familiar tinge of someone or something casting a para-magic spell. He quickly readied his weapon as he searched for the magic's source.

Before he could determine the spell's origin, he soon realized that he was in no danger. He chuckled as he called out towards the brush:

"Miss Trepe, that's not very nice, you know? Spying on a student while he's trying to train, using a Scan spell on him without his permission…some people might get the wrong idea if they heard about this!"

The brush started to shake as a feminine figure emerged from the shadows. "Only in your dreams, Cyrus Ranto. And it's 'Instructor Trepe' to you."

Cyrus laughed as he rested his scythe on his left shoulder. Quistis Trepe, dressed in her traditional cream-orange vest and long skirt, shook her head in disbelief as she walked up to her student. Ever since she and her friends defeated the time sorceress Ultimecia and ended the Second Sorceress War seven years ago, she had had her hands full as a full-time SeeD instructor. And in all those seven years, no student had caused her more problems than Cyrus Ranto. As skilled as he was in combat, he was notorious for skipping classes and napping in the ones he bothered to show up for. Still, despite his attitude towards classroom work, he always managed to pass them all…something that Quistis both admired and hated.

"Oh, yeah…sorry, Instructor," Cyrus sheepishly apologized. "But still, I am a bit curious as to why you're stalking me. Don't you have some other students you could be spying on?"

"I wasn't stalking you, you pervert! You didn't show up for my class on High-Level Elemental Magic and I was worried…although I can't imagine why I should care about some slacker like you."

"So you do care," Cyrus pointed out, which only seemed to infuriate Quistis even more. "All right, calm down Instructor. I'll behave. So, you tracked me down here and watched me make salad out of a couple of monsters. And then you go and scan me?"

Quistis forgot her anger as she ran her fingers through her honey-blonde hair and slyly smiled, "Well, since you refuse to actually show up to class, a Scan spell's the only way I can keep track of your progress. I do have to admit…for a slacker, you are showing steady growth."

"I don't suppose you'd like to share your findings with your favorite student, now would you?"

Quistis shrugged as she handed Cyrus a computerized tablet that SeeD developed in concert with Esthar to store the data extracted from a Scan spell. Cyrus quickly found the entry containing his information as he perused the data:

_**Cyrus Ranto**_

_**Level: 12**_

_**Weapon: Scythe**_

_**Specializations: Chemistry, Engineering, Combat**_

"Hmm," Cyrus mused as he handed the tablet back to Quistis. "I'd have thought my level would be higher than that. Maybe I need to find stronger monsters to train against."

"Don't read too much into it," Quistis suggested. "We're still not 100% sure these Scan Readers show everything. Besides, it doesn't measure a person's will to win…and that's one thing that every SeeD has to have to be successful."

"Fair enough," Cyrus conceded. "But getting back to the subject on hand…why are you REALLY here, Instructor? I doubt you'd go through this much trouble just to check up on me."

Quistis sighed. After a few seconds of silence, she answered, "I heard that you didn't show up for your GF Junction Session yesterday. The Garden Faculty members were livid and are looking to expel you."

"Oh, is that all?"

"Be serious for once, Cyrus!" Quistis demanded. "You elected to junction with a GF, you underwent all the necessary pre-junction treatments, and then you just blow it off? Skipping class is one thing, but this? What possible reason could you have for not showing up?"

"A very good one, I assure you," Cyrus calmly said as he started to tap his scythe on his shoulder very nonchalantly. GFs, or Guardian Forces, were powerful spirits that governed various aspects of nature, time, and space. By merging with the GFs in a process called "junctioning," a normal human being can gain power surpassed only by those of a sorceress. But such power comes with a price: a GF lends its master its strength and knowledge, but takes away a person's memories. Balamb Garden was the only establishment outside of Esthar that was allowed to do research on the Guardian Forces, and was the only organization that permitted their use. However, because of the inherent risks, junctioning with a GF was the decision of each and every SeeD and SeeD cadet, and every precaution was taken to ensure that the candidate was in peak physical and mental condition to handle a GF junction.

The process was both expensive and painstaking, so the Garden Faculty were understandably upset that one of their candidates went through the pre-junction treatments and not show up for the junctioning itself. Quistis was about to go on a tirade when a pair of voices shouted back at the entrance of the Training Center.

"Student ID Number 57854, Cyrus Ranto!"

Cyrus shook his head as a pair of stocky men in white robes and red overalls ran over to where he and Quistis were standing. Their hands were hidden in their oversized sleeves and their faces obscured by large, flat yellow hats. These two were Garden Faculty members, non-military officials whose only responsibility was to enforce the rules and standards of the Garden Code, as well as ensure that the Garden remained financially afloat. Seven years ago, they worked as agents of the Shumi Garden Master NORG…now, rumors abound as to who or what the Garden Faculty members actually answer to.

"Well, well…if it isn't the Yellow-Hat Brigade," Cyrus mockingly stated. "And what brings completely useless pricks like you out here in the Monster's Lair?"

"Silence!" one of the Faculty shouted. "You underwent pre-junctioning treatment and refused to show up for the GF Junction Session. We've known of your 'issues' with classroom tardiness and your general disrespect of certain instructors and Garden Faculty members. You refuse to conduct yourself in a manner befitting a SeeD, and we have no choice but to expel you from Balamb Garden. And we will be sure to pass this along to both Galbadia and Trabia Gardens, so don't be thinking you'll be able to…"

Cyrus cut the Faculty member off with a wave of his hand. "Wait just a damn minute and let's get a few things straight, Yellow-Hat! One: while I might not show up to class every now and then, I have yet to turn in a late assignment or fail a class. Two: the only people I 'disrespect' are those that deserve it. And three: as I was explaining to Instructor Trepe, I have a very good reason for no-showing yesterday, and if you'd just…"

"ENOUGH!" the second Faculty member yelled. "There's nothing you can say that is going to change our mind, so come peacefully before we have to call in 'reinforcements.'"

Quistis, silent through this whole exchange, immediately became worried. The Garden Faculty's idea of "reinforcements" usually referred to something big, nasty, and with a lot of sharp teeth. "Hold on! Your people have already been warned by the Commander that such actions against students were forbidden. Let me handle Ranto…I'll take him to the Commander myself."

"Hah! We know better than to entrust something like this to a mediocre instructor like you!" the first Faculty member boasted as Quistis started seething. "Cyrus Ranto, come with us."

"Listen, you two assclowns! The reason I skipped the Junction Session…"

"We don't care," the second Faculty member muttered as he brought his right hand to his lips and blew a whistle.

A low roar emanated from the deep thicket as the ground started to shake. Out from the brushes emerged something that most Balamb Garden students went out of their way to avoid in the Training Center. It was close to fifteen feet tall, had bright red scales, a very long and powerful tail, and a large mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. This was the fearsome and powerful dinosaur that struck fear into even a great many SeeD…

"T-Rexaur," Quistis whispered as she went for her chain whip. She wasn't junctioned, so a fight with an adult T-Rexaur wasn't going to be easy. This particular monster was ancient, and T-Rexaurs were constantly fighting amongst themselves for breeding and territorial rights, making the few that reached adulthood incredibly strong and tough. And once the T-Rexaur got a whiff of any of the humans, it'd pursue them with extreme prejudice and make snacks out of all of them. She started uncoiling her whip when Cyrus stepped out in front.

"Hey, Instructor," Cyrus said in a calm and unexpected manner. "You're not junctioned, are you? You're tough, but that thing…it's on another level. Why don't you protect the two Yellow-Hats and keep them from losing it? I'll handle Rexy here."

Quistis's fear turned into confusion as Cyrus settled into his combat stance, his scythe held behind him with his left hand with the blade pointed towards the sky. "What? Are you insane? You can't seriously think you can handle a T-Rexaur by yourself? And in case you've forgotten, you're not junctioned either!"

"Oh, really?" Cyrus mused as he pulled a pair of vials out of one of his vest pockets. "Look, Instructor…there's a lot more to me than you realize. I've got everything I need right here. And for the last time, I didn't NEED to be junctioned yesterday…I never said I didn't WANT to be junctioned."

Quistis pondered what her student was saying as he reeled back and tossed the two vials directly into the T-Rexaur's face. The vials exploded in a cloud of black mist, blinding the mighty beast. Cyrus gave Quistis a quick smile as he ran towards the now-roaring T-Rexaur, both hands on Tempest. Quistis was about to tell Cyrus to stop until she noticed a large amount of energy begin to pour out of the scythe wielder. It felt as if Cyrus and the jungle environment surrounding him was about to burst into flames.

"_So, that's how it is," _Quistis though as she started to chuckle. What a strange student Cyrus was…

The energy that swirled around Cyrus exploded as he drove his scythe into the hind leg of the T-Rexaur. The force created a giant cloud of dust that obscured Quistis and the Faculty member's view of the battle as the sounds of roaring and scythe swipes continued. A few seconds later, the sounds of combat halted, and Quistis waited anxiously as the cloud started to dissipate. Her suspicions were proven correct as one of the Faculty members stammered, "W-w-what is the meaning of this? How is this p-possible?"

"You Yellow-Hats are all the same," Cyrus's voice rang past the swirling dust. "You continued to treat this Garden and its students like your puppets, just like your old master NORG did seven years ago. All you want to do is make us all into machines, devoid of anything resembling individual intelligence or identity. And when someone deviates from your idyllic vision of what the Garden should be, you want to either throw them out or have them meet their untimely death.

"The reason why I didn't go to the Junction Session was because I didn't want any of the GFs that the Garden was going to just hand me like they were just another weapon or piece of equipment. I wanted power, this is true; but I wanted to earn it. Fortunately, I found exactly what I was looking for: a GF who forced me to earn his respect and the strength he could give me. I didn't show up yesterday…because I was already junctioned."

As the dust settled, the SeeD candidate stood on top of the T-Rexaur's corpse facing Quistis and the Garden Faculty, scythe resting on his shoulder and a smile on his face. Behind him, standing eight feet tall with dark brown skin and patches of orange fur all over its body was a great horned demon with the face of a wolf. The demon seemed amused as he asked in a booming voice, "Cyrus, it seems as if those mortals are surprised to see me."

"Can you blame them, Ifrit? After all, I just made those two creeps in white look like idiots. And besides, you're a pretty intimidating sight, pal."

Ifrit chuckled as Cyrus joined in. The battle was over, and whatever consequences came of his actions, Cyrus would face them head-on and fight to stay. This Garden was his home, and he wasn't ready to leave…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Been a few weeks since I posted anything, but here it is! Expect the first round of chapters to be mostly character development (low on plot, BIG ON PERSONALITY). Hope you like this first chapter...expect Chapter 2 by next week at the latest.**

**_Nappa: Vegeta, what does the scouter say about Cyrus Truth's amount of reviews?_**

**_Vegeta: IT'S OVER NINE-THOUSAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNDDDD!!!_**

**_Me: Yeah, I wish._**

**Anyway, review...it's good for you!**

**Later,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	2. Chapter 2

**Two Weeks Ago**

Cyrus remained hidden outside of the Fire Cavern as the Garden Faculty guarding the entrance finally left for the day. Since leaving Balamb Garden after curfew was against the rules, the Faculty figured that no student would be clever enough to sneak out of Garden nor would they be stupid enough to challenge its guardian without supervision.

"_Guess that makes me both clever and stupid," _Cyrus thought with a grin as he quickly left his hiding place and entered the Fire Cavern. Normally, the only time a SeeD candidate would ever enter this cave was to pass their pre-requisite exam before the final field SeeD test. But Cyrus was determined to not only gain the support of this cavern's guardian but make the Garden Faculty look like the fools they were.

Even though it was a cool autumn night, the Fire Cavern was anything but cold. The pools of lava surrounding the narrow path leading deeper into the cave made the air incredibly hot and humid, almost making it impossible for Cyrus to breathe. Despite spending three days training and fighting glacial eyes to get the materials he'd need, he had no idea just how inhospitable the Fire Cavern would be. It was made all the more difficult due to the fact that he wasn't junctioned and had to trek through the lava pools with his own strength.

Cyrus decided that whining and complaining about how tough this mission of his was going to be wasn't going to help, so he put that aside and took a quick drink of water from one of his three canteens to fight off the dehydration. As he finished his drink, he noticed a pair of spherical monsters float towards him. They were bombs, fire elementals infamous for self-destructing and killing their prey in the subsequent explosion. Cyrus dropped his canteen and, with a pair of swipes from Tempest, sliced the two monsters in half before they even had a chance to attack. The bombs' combustible blood stained his scythe's blade as he quickly flicked his weapon in an attempt to clean it.

Cyrus continued to push through the Fire Cavern, fending off several red bats and buels before finally reaching the end of the path. A ring of volcanic rocks jutted out and surrounded a pool of lava that seemed to release even more heat than the lava he had spent the last eight minutes trudging through. Cyrus finished off the last of his water as he approached the stone ring, Tempest in hand.

The lava pool erupted in a geyser of molten rock and fire as the cavern's guardian emerged from the flames. He hovered above the lava as he noticed the human standing below him.

"Mortal, what brings you to my domain? It is awfully late for an exam."

"This is no exam, mighty Ifrit," Cyrus replied. "I come here by myself, in the hopes to challenge you."

"Alone is right," Ifrit noted. "I can sense you are unjunctioned. Challenging me on your own could be considered unwise if not suicidal. Especially considering that your Garden has other Guardian Forces that you could junction with."

"That it does," Cyrus admitted, "but I don't believe in power that you don't have to work for. I have nothing against the GFs that Garden provides us, but how can I possibly respect the strength they could lend me if I didn't have to work for it? That's why I'm here: I want strength…I want the power to fight and win. But I want to earn it."

Cyrus dropped into his ready stance as he continued, "So I decided that the only way for me to gain the power of a GF and earn it was to come here and challenge you for the right to junction with you. I will fight and earn your respect…or die trying."

Ifrit chuckled as he dropped onto the path in front of Cyrus. "Interesting. Well said, human. But I am not holding back. Get ready!"

Ifrit lunged at Cyrus with inhuman speed and connected his large fist into Cyrus's chest. The force of the blow sent Cyrus flying back, and would have driven him into the lava had the SeeD candidate not thrust his scythe into the ground to slow him down. Cyrus ignored the pain as he got back on his feet and rushed Ifrit. As he brought his scythe down on Ifrit, the demon bobbed and weaved to avoid the blade. Ifrit retaliated with a fire spell that Cyrus blocked with Tempest, receiving only mild burns on his arms.

Now angry, Cyrus slashed at Ifrit and managed to draw blood, digging his blade into Ifrit's left pectoral, leaving a jagged but shallow wound. Cyrus, his confidence rising, continued hacking and swiping away until Ifrit ended his assault by grabbing the scythe with his right hand. As Cyrus fruitlessly struggled to free Tempest from Ifrit's grasp, the demon glared at his human opponent and growled.

"Yield, mortal. You cannot beat me. My strength far surpasses yours, and without a Guardian Force you will not be able to overcome that."

"True, I can't outmuscle you…but thankfully, that's not what I had in mind," Cyrus stated as he reached for a vial from his vest. "Open wide!"

Cyrus tossed the vial into Ifrit's face as it shattered and materialized as a powerful ice attack. Ifrit howled in pain and anger as he tried to claw the ice from his eyes. Eventually, the demon roared and summoned flames to melt the ice and free his vision. It was then that he noticed that Cyrus was standing behind him, his scythe blade pressed up against his throat.

Still recovering from Ifrit's initial attack, Cyrus stood firm regardless. "So, what was that about yielding?"

Despite his predicament, Ifrit had to laugh. "This is somewhat embarrassing. Outsmarted by a mortal? I must be getting soft. Very well, I will join you…even though you are a cheater."

Cyrus eased Tempest's blade from Ifrit's throat as he shouldered the scythe. The pain in his chest was becoming more than he could stand as Ifrit extended his hand and commanded, "Take it. I will junction myself to you, warrior. Then, we will see what we can do about that injury of yours."

Cyrus smirked as he grabbed the demon's hand with his own. In an instant, Ifrit disappeared in a flurry of flames that began to circle Cyrus. The SeeD cadet immediately felt as if his body was on fire as a tribal outline of Ifrit's head branded itself to his arm, sealing the pact and completing the junction. Once the flames subsided, Cyrus felt his aches disappear as the pain in his chest and the burns on his arms started to heal. Not only that, the once-unforgiving heat of the Fire Cavern didn't bother Cyrus anymore as he started getting used to his newly-won strength.

"Wow, this is pretty impressive. This is the power of GF junctioning, huh?"

"_**It is," **_Ifrit's voice said inside his head, _**"And by working together, we can unlock much more of one another's potential. Have faith in me, and I will return that faith with the strength to combat any foe."**_

Cyrus nodded as he replied in his mind, _"I wouldn't have it any other way, Ifrit. Glad to have you along, partner."_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Present Day**

As Cyrus reminiscing about his battle with Ifrit and the partnership he had forged with the GF, he had completely drowned out the sound of the Garden Faculty member running down his every last offense to Commander Leonhart. As Cyrus stood by the door of the Commander's third-floor office, he finally set his internal thoughts aside as the Garden Faculty member finished his tirade:

"…disrespect to instructors and Faculty members alike, constant tardiness, and general lackadaisical attitude are unbecoming of a SeeD. Not only that, he broke Garden rules by sneaking out past curfew and ventured into the Fire Cavern unsupervised. And by what can only be described as pure stupid luck, he fought and defeated Ifrit and junctioned with him without permission. This Cyrus Ranto is not worthy of remaining a student, and I demand on behalf of the entire Garden Faculty that he be expelled and forbidden from attending Garden ever again!"

"_**He seems angry," **_Ifrit whispered from inside Cyrus's mind as the Faculty member finished his report. _**"What is his problem?"**_

"_Don't mind him," _Cyrus mentally replied. _"He's just bitter."_

"_**Even so, he seems adamant about having you removed as a student of this Garden. I would think that would be…disruptive towards your goals and aspirations."**_

"_Don't worry," _Cyrus reassured Ifrit. _"Whatever happens, happens. No sense in worrying about something I have no control over."_

Ifrit smirked at Cyrus's attitude as Commander Leonhart, who had said nothing at this point, stood up and said in a cold tone, "Thank you, Izu. You may leave. I want to speak with Mr. Ranto privately."

The Faculty member bowed deeply, knowing full well that the Commander barely tolerated his and his associates' presence at Balamb Garden. He quickly made his way to the door, stopping only to look at Cyrus and snicker as if he had already won. After leaving the office, Commander Leonhart motioned for Cyrus to approach his desk as he sat back down.

Cyrus stood right in front of the large desk and saluted the Commander, who was dressed his official SeeD uniform. Out of all the authority figures at Balamb Garden, he respected Commander Squall Leonhart the most. Not only because he was the one who led SeeD in the Second Sorceress War and was one of the six who fought and defeated Sorceress Ultimecia during Time Compression, but Squall Leonhart was considered the best swordsman in the world. Add to that that he had mastered the incredibly powerful and complicated gunblade…oh yes, Squall Leonhart had definitely earned Cyrus's respect.

Still, as much as Cyrus respected Commander Leonhart's combat abilities and leadership skills, he had to admit that the man acted a bit aloof and cold. He never once looked Cyrus in the eyes as he finally asked, "Well, Cadet?"

"Well…what, sir?"

"What do you have to say about the Garden Faculty's accusations?"

"There's nothing to say, Commander. The Garden Faculty has made their assumptions about me, and I have to admit that they are right. Not about that whole "he's a degenerate slacker" stuff, but I did break Garden's rules by sneaking out and challenging Ifrit. As such, you are within your rights to punish me…even expel me."

Commander Leonhart scoffed as he finally looked up and made eye contact. He then asked, "Then tell me, why did you break the rules? Why challenge Ifrit?"

Cyrus lowered his gaze as he answered, "Because I have my own set of rules. Rules that I abide by above all others. And Rule Number 7 states 'Strength comes from hard work and sacrifice.' Any other way that grants you power doesn't make you strong. It just makes you dependant.

"Don't misunderstand me…I have no problems with relying on others. It's just that I want to be strong on my own as well. If I'm not strong enough, how can others ever trust me to watch their backs? At least, that's the best explanation I can give you."

The stoic and unflinching face of Commander Leonhart betrayed a small smile. "Good enough. You're dismissed."

"Sir?"

"You fought Ifrit and earned his respect, and you did it without junctions or support. If anything, I should be congratulating you. As it is, you did break Garden rules. Your punishment is to spend two hours every day helping Quartermaster Yuno in the armory until the next SeeD exam in four weeks. And you are to make a better effort to show up to class. Am I understood?"

Cyrus smiled and saluted. "Yes sir! Thank you, Commander."

Cyrus did an about face and walked out of the Commander's office. _"See, you were worried about nothing, Ifrit."_

"_**So it would seem. I knew Squall would be reasonable."**_

"_Why? Because I embody what SeeD is all about?"_

Ifrit smirked. _**"Not quite. It is because, after being junctioned with him seven years ago, I know for a fact that he hates the Garden Faculty as much as you do."**_

Cyrus laughed as he reached the elevator and pressed the first floor button. _"Well, that works too."_

As the doors closed on the elevator, Cyrus took one last look at Commander Leonhart as the doors to his office closed. The elevator started to descend as Cyrus muttered under his breath:

"Thank you, Commander. I'll make you and SeeD proud. I swear it."

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**Author's Note:**

**A week...a day...okay, so I'm going to be a bit random with my uploads. Still, at least I will be uploading somewhat frequently. Whoo-hoo!**

**Please review...or I'll be forced to fire my lazer. Seriously, don't make me do it...that meme is already WAY overdone.**

**...............................BLAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!!!!!!**

**Thanks,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	3. Chapter 3

A week after his meeting with Commander Leonhart, Cyrus found himself outside of Balamb Garden on the Alcauld Plains. The Garden itself was stationed close to where it was built decades ago, attached to a specialized docking platform that held the mobile fortress in place. Cyrus had finished his morning classes and his required-two hours in the armory and had decided to take the opportunity to get some training in with Ifrit and his newfound para-magic abilities. He was facing down a rather stubborn glacial eye as Ifrit coached his summoner from inside his mind.

"_**To call forth the spell, picture it in your mind."**_

"_Got it," _Cyrus mentally replied as he conjured up the image of a Fire spell that he had drawn from a pair of bite bugs.

"_**Good. Now, summoning the spell is not very different from summoning me…just smaller. Focus the energy into your hand and release it at your opponent."**_

Cyrus nodded as he felt the Fire spell he had thought of travel down his spine and through his right arm. He smirked as he punched the air and pointed his fist at the glacial eye shouting, "Fire!"

A fireball leapt from his fist and rocketed towards the glacial eye. Had it been farther away, the monster may have been able to dodge it. As it was, the glacial eye felt the full impact of the spell as it screeched in pain before giving up its spirit.

Cyrus brought his still-smoking fist to eye-level as he whistled loudly. "Damn. Not bad."

"_**Do not get overconfident, Cyrus," **_Ifrit warned. _**"That was just a low-level Fire spell. Higher class magic will take much more concentration and energy. Still, for your first attempt, you could have done worse."**_

"_Thanks. By the way, that Fire spell seemed to hit that glacial eye pretty hard. Was that just because they were opposing elements…or did you have something to do with that?"_

Ifrit snickered. _**"You caught that, I see. Yes, opposing elements do hit for critical damage against one another, but in your case there is more to it than that. Since I am a spirit of fire, you will naturally be stronger with Fire-type spells than with any other type of element."**_

"_Interesting," _Cyrus noted. _"I'll have to keep that in mind. Now about magic junctioning…oh, shit!"_

"_**What is it?"**_

"My late afternoon class with Instructor Aki!" Cyrus shouted out loud. "It's in twenty minutes, and I completely forgot about it. Gotta hurry, gotta hurry!"

Cyrus used his GF-enhanced strength to run back to Garden with inhuman speeds. Even with his speed, he knew that he'd be cutting it close. And if he was late…

Cyrus gulped nervously at the thought of being late to one of Aki's classes. "Must go faster, must go faster, must go faster…"

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Ranto?"

The students in the second-floor classroom all looked bored as Instructor Aki was doing role call. Out of all the instructors Balamb Garden had to offer, Aki was best known for being the least decorated of them all. However, as if he was compensating for that dubious distinction, Aki was also the Garden's biggest hard ass. SeeD cadets went to his class not because they found his classes on Garden Ethics interesting but because he went out of his way to punish students and SeeDs alike that violated the Garden Code in one way or another. The man had knowledge of every single last obscure rule in the entire handbook and utilized his knowledge to punish cadets and strip SeeD of their ranks, making him the second-most hated man at Balamb Garden (any member of the Garden Faculty was always unanimously voted number one on that particular list).

Aki's raspy voiced shouted again, "Ranto?! Hmph, guess the punk's skipping class again. When I see him, I'm going to personally make his life a living, breathing, stinking…"

"Here!" Cyrus's voice shouted from the hallway as the SeeD candidate finally made his way into the classroom. He was breathing heavily as he held up his watch, "And I have thirteen seconds to spare!"

Aki shook his head in disgust. "Maybe on your time, Ranto, but not mine! Now, get your ass in a seat before I shove my boot up it."

"Yes, sir," Cyrus said as he muttered under his breath, "Asshole."

With Tempest still holstered to his back magnetically, Cyrus worked his way to the back of the classroom and sat down in the first open seat. He didn't look to see who he was sitting next to as he turned on his study panel.

As he expected, Aki's lecture was long, boring, and utterly pointless. Much of what he rambled about was stuff that any SeeD cadet should know, and those that didn't wouldn't have made the cut to full SeeD anyway. Cyrus pretended to follow along as best he could until the buzzer sounded indicating that class was over.

Cyrus thanked Hyne for ending his torment as he started to stand up. Before he was able to, however, two small yet strong hands forced the warrior back down into his seat. Cyrus tilted his head upwards to see who was stupid enough to lay their hands on him.

To his surprise, it was a young woman with long blood-red hair and brown eyes. She wore a red tank top that exposed her well-toned abdomen and a pair of hip-hugging leather pants. The look was completed with a matching leather overcoat with the image of a white sparrow on either shoulder of her coat. She smiled wickedly as she spoke up:

"So, are you the one who challenged Ifrit and junctioned with him?"

Cyrus rolled his eyes. _"Great, another fangirl."_

"Look," Cyrus replied, "I'm not interested in another girlfriend, study partner, or anything like that. So if you don't mind, I have more important things to do…"

Cyrus never finished his sentence as the red-haired vixen whacked him upside the head with her right fist, sending the SeeD candidate tumbling out of his seat and onto the floor. Cyrus felt his head throb as the still-smiling woman said:

"Listen up, you little prick. I'm only interested in seeing if you're worth the admiration of the student body after your after-hours trip to the Fire Cavern. In other words, I want to fight you. The Training Center in fifteen minutes"

"Um, what? Are you serious?" Cyrus asked, legitimately confused.

The redhead laughed as she stepped over Cyrus and left the classroom. Cyrus finally stood up and held his hand where this woman's fist connected. As the throbbing died down after a minute, Cyrus internally asked, _"Just so I'm clear…she's junctioned too, isn't she?"_

"_**If she was alone, her blow would not have caused you as much pain. Yes, she too is junctioned with a Guardian Force," **_Ifrit answered. _**"So, what do you plan to do about it?"**_

Despite the bruise close to his right temple, Cyrus chuckled. _"Well, the lady wants to rumble. And what kind of gentleman would I be if I left her hanging?"_

"_**Then you had best hurry. You only have twelve minutes to get to the Training Center. And I am anxious to know just how powerful you have become since we became partners. So, get going!"**_

Cyrus nodded as he ran as fast as he could out of the classroom and towards the elevator. After weeks of fighting off bite bugs, glacial eyes, and caterchipillars, he actually looked forward to fighting an opponent of equal strength and potential.

"Time for a little fun," Cyrus said with a smirk as he reached the elevator and took it down.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After carefully dodging the ever-growing masses of jealous classmates and love-struck admirers that he had gained once the rumor of his battle with Ifrit had become Garden legend, Cyrus finally made it to the Training Center. There, standing with her back to him, was the woman who had challenged him to a fight. Apparently, she had chosen the open area that led to either side of the Training Center as their battleground. Cyrus took the opportunity to cast a Scan spell at his would-be adversary.

_**Kyra Vanguard**_

_**Level 16**_

_**Weapon: Automatic Pistols and Melee Claws**_

_**Specializations: Hand-to-Hand Combat, Marksmanship, Reconnaissance**_

"Hmm, same level as me, I see," Cyrus called out as he removed his scythe from its magnetic sheath.

Kyra turned around and chuckled. "Is it? I didn't really bother looking up your Scans. So, like anything you see?"

"Maybe, but I'm not going to tell you," Cyrus mocked as he walked up to Kyra. He got within three feet of Kyra as he noticed the belt hanging loosely on her waist with a pistol holstered on either side. He met her gaze with his own as he asked, "So, what are the rules of engagement?"

"Rules? And here I was thinking you didn't care about rules!" Kyra said with a derisive laugh.

"Nah, it's just Garden's rules that I sometimes have a hard time following. Now Cyrus Ranto's rules…that's a different story. And Rule Number 5 says that you never enter a fight before knowing what you can and cannot do. So, lay down the rules, Miss Vanguard…or are you thinking about chickening out?"

Kyra never stopped smiling as she simply stated, "No magic, no GFs, just your scythe against my fists. Any problems with that?"

"Nope," Cyrus said as he dropped into a battle stance, both hands on Tempest. "I've seen what you can do with those fists of yours, so I'm not holding back."

"Who said I'd let you?" Kyra mused as she lunged at Cyrus in a flash of red and black. Cyrus barely had enough time to bring his scythe up to block her right fist. In response, she swift-kicked him in the legs and brought him down to the ground hard. Kyra quickly straddled his lower torso and started throwing punches left and right. Cyrus, however, was fast enough to move his head to avoid the blows one after another. He then used his scythe's shaft to force Kyra off and on her ass. Cyrus kipped up and brought Tempest's blade down as Kyra rolled out of the way. Tempest cut into the rock-hard ground as its wielder pulled it out and dropped back into his ready stance.

Kyra managed to get back onto her feet as her smile left her face. "You…you were trying to kill me."

"And you weren't?" Cyrus countered. "I've seen those gloves of yours before. They're Thor's Hands, aren't they? And I also saw the lovely little spikes that are all over them. If you landed a good blow on my face with those fists of yours, I could have been killed.

"I told you once and I'll say it again…I don't hold back against a worthy opponent."

To Cyrus's surprise, Kyra started to laugh. "Worthy opponent? So, you readily admit that you don't deserve all that hero-worshipping crap you've been getting from the cadets. And here I was thinking you'd have a huge ego after making Ifrit submit. I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised.

"Not only that, you didn't hold back just because I'm a woman. You matched my level of aggression with your own and fought me as an equal. I can't begin to tell you how much bull I have to put up with from the guys who are just looking to get in my pants and the girls who reinforce the image of female cadets as fragile little flowers who shouldn't and couldn't fight on the frontlines."

Cyrus nodded in agreement. Most of the girls that he had the displeasure of either talking to or going out with had all been the same: primadonnas who wanted to be catered to by some lovesick Prince Charming hand and foot. None of them ever struck Cyrus as his philosophical equal save for Instructor Trepe, Administrator Xu…

…and Kyra Vanguard.

"_**Cyrus! Focus!" **_Ifrit shouted internally as Kyra launched another attack, this time in the form of a roundhouse kick from the left. Cyrus quickly regained his composure and blocked the kick with Tempest.

"Nice reflexes," Kyra commented as she held her leg tightly against the shaft of Cyrus's scythe. "Didn't want to think you were giving up so soon."

"Me? Give up?" Cyrus asked as he locked eyes with Kyra. He smiled as he forced Kyra back with a thrust from Tempest. "Not a chance in hell! I haven't had this much fun since coming to Garden. Bring it on, Vanguard! Hold nothing back!"

Kyra nodded her approval as both she and Cyrus rushed towards one another, grins on either of their faces. For close to thirty minutes, the two of them went at one another as if they were mortal enemies looking to kill one another. Slashes, punches, and kicks turned into a flurry as Cyrus and Kyra looked to land that final blow and end their little duel. As the dust started to settle, both warriors were breathing heavily and suffering from various injuries.

Kyra had her hand on her left shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding from a scythe blade's cut. "Not bad. Not bad at all."

Cyrus, for his part, was so bruised all over that he needed to use Tempest as a cane. "Same to you. I haven't felt this beat up since my fight with Ifrit. So…what happens now?"

"Hmm, well…" Kyra started to say before she was interrupted by an inhuman screech and the fluttering of insectoid wings. The brush that served as a backdrop to Cyrus and Kyra's battle started to shake and shutter as a large dragonfly-like monster emerged from the depths of the Training Center.

Cyrus quietly cursed his piss poor luck as he struggled to get back into a ready stance. Kyra did the same as she asked, "Granaldo, right?"

"Yeah, and it looks like our little scrap woke him up from whatever hole he crawled out of. Damn it all anyway."

"Thinking about running?" Kyra mocked as she drew her pistols.

Cyrus laughed as he shouldered his scythe. "Run? Hell no! But since both of us aren't exactly in the best shape for a fight with Old Yeller here, how about we let out GFs handle Bug Eyes?"

Kyra nodded. "So, you knew. All right, let's let our partners in on the action. Shiva, come on out!"

"Ifrit! Get on out here!"

Both SeeD cadets focused their energy and summoned their respective Guardian Forces. As Ifrit emerged from the fire and flames and stood beside Cyrus, the air around Kyra suddenly chilled as a large ice pillar shot up from the ground. Encased in the ice was a beautiful, blue-skinned maiden with icy-blonde hair and very…revealing dark blue clothing. The ice pillar shattered, freeing the Ice Maiden and completing the summoning.

"Wow…" Cyrus said, his mouth somewhat slack at the sight of the gorgeous Guardian Force. She seemed to take notice of the male mortal's attention as she turned and winked.

"Like something you see, human?" she said with a seductive smile.

Before Cyrus could even think about any impure thoughts, Granaldo screeched again and began to dash at Kyra and Shiva. He was close to bringing his massive tail down hard…that is, until Ifrit appeared in front of the feminine duo and caught Granaldo's tail with his massive claws.

"As much fun as it is to watch you turn my summoner into a blathering, lovesick wreck, we have work to do, Shiva."

"You always were way too stiff, Ifrit," Shiva replied condescendingly. Still, she began to focus icy energy in her hand as she smiled. "But I suppose you are right. Shall we?"

Ifrit snorted and grinned as he wrapped his arms around Granaldo's tail and spun the insect monster around and around before letting go, sending Granaldo flying hard into one of the Training Center's steel doors. Cyrus and Kyra heard the sound of exoskeleton crack as Shiva finished collecting energy and quietly spoke.

"Diamond Dust."

Shiva released her energy with both hands as it materialized in the form of an ever-growing path of ice. The ice formed quickly and hit Granaldo, freezing the monster against the door. As it struggled to free itself, Ifrit decided that he wouldn't be upstaged by his rival GF and started focusing his power into a large fireball. Once he was finished, he reeled back and shouted:

"Hell Fire!"

Ifrit drove his right fist into the fireball, sending it rocketing into Granaldo. The fireball exploded, and completely incinerated the insectoid as well as much of the surrounding foliage. Both Guardian Forces stood side-by-side admiring their handiwork as Cyrus stumbled over to Kyra.

"Well, that was entertaining," Cyrus noted as he used Tempest as a crutch. "Shiva's something else, isn't she?"

Kyra scoffed and crossed her arms. "Are you talking about her combat abilities, or are you still drooling over the blue bikini?"

"Yes," Cyrus simply stated.

Both cadets got a good laugh out of that as their Guardians Forces walked back to their summoners. Both had a look of accomplishment on their faces as Ifrit said, "Looks like our mortal partners have decided to set their differences aside, Shiva."

"I'm not complaining," Shiva purred as she got a good look at Cyrus from head-to-toe. "Not bad for a mortal."

Cyrus smirked as he reached out and took Shiva's hand in his own. He brought the Ice Maiden's hand to his lips and placed a kiss on it. "Cyrus Ranto, at your service."

"And a charmer as well," Shiva commented as she turned her attention to Kyra. "Best not let this one out of your sights, Kyra."

To Cyrus's surprise, he saw Kyra blush. "All right, all right!" Kyra ordered. "Back in my brain, Shiva."

Cyrus laughed at the exchange between summoner and GF as he nodded at Ifrit. Both summoned monsters disappeared in a flash of energy and returned to their respective summoners.

"So, what happens now?" Kyra asked, still clutching her wounds.

Cyrus wryly smiled as he extended his hand. "Truce?"

Kyra looked at him like he had turned into a giant bug, but relented and shook Cyrus's hand. "Truce. Now, we probably should visit the Infirmary."

"Yeah, pretty much," Cyrus agreed as both he and Kyra worked together to help one another stumble out of the Training Center and towards the Infirmary.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Props to Kirie05 for favoriting my story and leaving me a nice review. Rock on, Kirie!**

**New character, and a display of GF abilities. Hope you all like this chapter.**

**Stay tuned for Chapter 4...with yet another new character!**

**You know what the difference is between you and a normal Fan Fiction reader? You make reviewing stories look good!**

**Later,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	4. Chapter 4

Doctor Kadowaki had seen a lot of injured students and SeeD in her days as Head Doctor of Balamb Garden. However, this was the first time she had seen two people smile despite being in such a bad state.

"Sweet Hyne, what the heck happened to you two?" Dr. Kadowaki asked the brown-haired male and the redheaded woman using one another as a crutch.

"Yeah…sorry Doc," Cyrus said sheepishly. "Kyra and I sort of got a little carried away in a sparring session."

"And then Granaldo showed up," Kyra added.

"Right, Granaldo too. So, yeah…we're in pretty bad shape and I didn't have any Cure spells stocked. Think you could fix us up in time for the monster hunt tomorrow?"

Doctor Kadowaki shook her head in disbelief. "You kids are knocking on death's door, and it was just a 'sparring session?' I swear Kyra…you're taking after Zell Dincht a little too much."

Kyra simply shrugged and smiled as Doctor Kadowakicontinued, "Fine…just lay down in those two beds over there. I'll get some bandages and potions. If you behave yourselves, you should be fine by tomorrow morning. I tell you, you two are lucky I haven't left for the day…"

Both SeeD candidates nodded as they ambled towards the open beds as Doctor Kadowaki stepped into the medical supplies room. Cyrus took the opportunity to rest his battered and bruised body as he looked over to Kyra.

"So, you're one of Instructor Dincht's students, then?"

Kyranodded. "Yeah. He wasn't too pleased with me choosing to learn how to shoot, but he's really helped me improve my fighting skills. They were enough to take you to the limit, after all."

"Whatever," Cyrus nonchalantly replied. "That does raise a question, though. Why made you decide to fight me in the first place?"

"Don't really know, to be honest with you. I guess I just got tired of hearing the other students prop you up as some sort of demigod or something. And I have this insatiable urge to pummel self-righteous and egotistical pricks."

"And you think I'm one of those pricks?"

"At first, yeah. But you're not as bad as I thought. And you certainly can swing a scythe, so I guess we can be friends."

"Friends, eh?" Cyrus mused. "Well, normally I'd be a bit leery of having a psychopathic woman as a friend…but in your case I think I can make an exception."

"Asshole," Kyra retorted half-heartedly. Both SeeD candidates got a good laugh out of their conversation as Doctor Kadowaki returned with the medicine and bandages. She smiled that half-friendly, half-sarcastic smile of hers as she ordered Kyra to sit up. As Kyra got her shoulder bandaged up, Cyrus sat back and looked up at the ceiling.

"_Three weeks…" _Cyrus thought, _"…three weeks until I become a full-fledged SeeD."_

"_**A bit confident, I see."**_

"_Why not, Ifrit? With a partner like you, there isn't a thing in this world that I can't handle!"_

Had Ifrit been materialized, he would have shaken his head in disappointment. He replied in a low mental whisper so that Cyrus couldn't hear him, _**"You have no idea what dangers may yet await you, mortal…"**_

**__________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

**The Next Day**

"All right, boys and girls…listen up!" Instructor Zell Dincht shouted to the group of students standing outside the forest on the outskirts of the town of Balamb. "It's close to caterchipillar mating season. And that means the ugly bastards will soon be multiplying like crazy. Because of that, Balamb has contracted Garden to routinely cull the populations, and that's where you guys come in. Your job is to go into the forest and kill as many caterchipillars as you can in two hours.

"But none of you are going in there alone! There's twelve of you, so you're gonna split up into four teams of three. And since I'm in good mood after one of my students made me so proud by beating the crap out of one of Quis…I mean, Instructor Trepe's star students yesterday…" Zell said as he glanced at Kyra, "…I'm going to let you choose your teammates. So, partner up and let's go KICK SOME ASS!!! YEAH, BABY!"

After a quick little "rah-rah" moment, the SeeD candidates started to split up into groups. Cyrus for his part already knew who he wanted to pair up with as he made his way over to where Kyra was standing. She was shooting down potential teammates left and right until Cyrus walked up behind her and grabbed her shoulders.

"Hey, beautiful," Cyrus playfully said. "Want to team up?"

Kyra turned around and met Cyrus's smirk with one of her own. "I don't know. Think you can keep up?"

Cyrus shrugged as he stretched his arms out, working out the few kinks and sores he still had from yesterday. "Yeah, I think so. Besides, it's not like I trust any of these other scrubs to watch my back. So, what do you say…partner?"

Kyra ran her fingers through her hair as she shot Cyrus a quizzical look. "You trust the woman who tried to beat you into a bloody pulp to watch your back? You really are a strange guy, Cyrus. But…what the heck? Ought to be fun!"

Cyrus nodded. "Awesome. Now the tricky question…"

"…who's going to be our third team member?" Kyra finished.

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Um, excuse me?" a deep voice meekly asked from behind Cyrus. "Did you say you needed another teammate?"

Cyrus spun around and came face-to-chest with a near-seven foot tall man wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt and forest green-camouflage pants over black combat boots. He wore a pair of wire-framed black sunglasses and had his long blonde hair in a ponytail. The tall, heavily-built SeeD cadet looked down at Cyrus and asked again in his deep voice, "Well? Do you need a teammate?"

Cyrus finally got over his shock as he quickly replied, "Um, sure! By the way, you are…?"

The giant handed Cyrus a Scan Reader. "See for yourself."

Cyrus took the Scan Reader as he and Kyra read the Scan data for their new teammate:

_**Taizen Kouken**_

_**Level 19**_

_**Weapon: Zweihander**_

_**Specializations: Heavy Weapons, Field Medicine, Demolition**_

"Hmm, that's strange," Cyrus stated as he handed the Scan Reader back to its owner.

"What is?" Taizen asked.

"Well, it says here you're a demolitions expert along with being a medic. Usually cadets opt for one or the other, not both."

"Oh. Well, it's a bit of a long story. Suffice it to say that I believe in balance…you know, give and take, yin and yang, that sort of thing."

Cyrus looked at Kyra as both of them shrugged. "Eh, what the hell! I guess it takes all sorts in SeeD. Welcome to the team, Taizen!"

Taizen nodded in approval as he picked up his weapon: a six-foot long sword with a cross-shaped guard and a triangular blade. The blade itself was as black as midnight and engraved with various Centran runes surrounding a central effigy of a griffon.

The giant SeeD cadet lifted the massive sword with ease and slid it into a leather sheath attached to his back. He looked at both his teammates and simply said, "Griffin's Heart."

Cyrus and Kyra looked at one another with confused expressions before Taizen added, "My zweihander's name."

"Oh, right! Of course," Cyrus immediately replied. He made sure his own weapon was secured before continuing, "Well, we better get moving. I wouldn't want the other teams to get a head start and beat us. You two with me?"

Kyra smiled and nodded as Taizen simply grunted in acknowledgement. Cyrus turned around and led his team into the forest.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Six…seven!" Cyrus shouted as he sliced a pair of caterchipillars with a single swipe of his scythe. "How many are you up to, Kyra!"

"Hang on," Kyra replied as she finished riddling the body of an oversized caterchipillar with bullets, "yeah. That makes six. How about you, Taizen?"

Taizen was silent as he cleaved one of the worm-like monsters in half. He finally spoke up, "Um, was I supposed to keep count?"

"Aw, damn it!" Cyrus exclaimed. "Taizen, how are we supposed to determine the best caterchipillar-slayer if you don't keep track of how many you kill?"

"…We're competing against one another? I thought we were on the same team."

Kyra palmed her forehead in disbelief. "Wow. Taizen, for a guy as smart as you are, you can be really dumb sometimes. Of course we're on the same team…but just because we're allies doesn't mean we can't upstage one another. It's an age-old tradition amongst teammates to keep them sharp and build team chemistry."

"I see," Taizen replied with his left hand gently clutching his chin. "Well, I guess I wouldn't know. I've never been a part of a team before."

"Well, you are now!" Cyrus declared as he drove the tip of Tempest's staff into the maw of a roaming bite bug. "So stop being so uptight and show us what you and that giant sword of yours are capable of!"

Taizen was about to say something in reply when the familiar screeching of caterchipillars came in from all directions. The three teammates backed up into a rough triangle as eight of the green worms bounced out of the forest and into the clearing that Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen had been fighting in. The caterchipillars surrounded the trio and blocked any means of escape as they stood in place and did that bobbing and swaying that they were normally seen doing.

Then, as if they were operating with the same mind, all eight of the caterchipillars unleashed their Ultra Waves attack, a high-pitched series of sound waves that were rumored to drive weak-minded men insane with rage. As it was, the waves didn't send any of the SeeD cadets into a bloodlust; instead, it merely caused them excruciating pain as their eardrums popped and started to bleed. Cyrus could almost feel his innards shutter and shake as the caterchipillars finished their audio assault.

Both Cyrus and Kyra were on the ground clutching their sides, but Taizen remained standing. Never losing that stoic look on his face, he raised his right arm into the air as electricity crackled and hissed from his fingers. The clouds abovedarkened and began to swirl as a large green bird with no eyes, feathers, or beak burst through the sky and appeared above Taizen.

"Damn…you too?" Cyrus asked weakly.

Taizen didn't answer Cyrus; instead, he calmly spoke to his Guardian Force, "Quezacoatl, Thunder Storm if you would."

"Certainly," Quezacoatl said as the GF collected electrical energy at the tip of what would have been its beak. Once a large ball of electricity had formed, Quezacoatl unleashed eight separate streams and hit each and every last caterchipillar that had surrounded his summoner and his teammates. The powerful jolt tore through the caterchipillars as they began to smoke and catch fire before simultaneously falling over dead. Taizen nodded at his GF as it flew off and disappeared.

The giant cadet looked down at his injured teammates and simply said, "Eight."

Despite the pain they were in, Cyrus and Kyra got a good laugh at Taizen's attempt at a joke. Taizen, for his part, knelt down and used a Cure spell on the two of them before using one on himself. All three team members stood up and began analyzing what just happened.

"Damn worms," Kyra swore. "I've never seen them do anything this organized before."

"I agree," Taizen piped in. "Caterchipillars are scavengers and foragers. But just now, they demonstrated an uncharacteristic pack mentality. No xenobiological study has ever shown a group of caterchipillars doing anything like this."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that there was something seriously wrong with these caterchipillars," Cyrus answered. "And I doubt they learned this new trick through evolution."

"So, what made them decide to be pack hunters?" Kyra asked.

"What indeed," an unfamiliar voice said from the shadows of the forest.

All three SeeD cadets spun around to find the source of the voice. As it turned out, the voice came from a man wearing a white hooded cloak adorned with golden runic characters. His face was hidden, making a visual ID impossible. Cyrus had decided to try a Scan spell until he was stopped halfway through the casting by the man raising his hand.

"Stay that spell. I come in peace."

Cyrus halted the spell-casting, but still held on tightly to his scythe. "You 'come in peace?' Funny…I don't really believe you. Now who the hell are you?"

"Who I am is of little importance," the hooded man replied venomously. "All that matters is the will of the Great Hyne."

"Come again?" Cyrus asked incredulously.

"You will see soon enough. Until then, you have given us quite a bit to consider. We owe you our gratitude."

"Gratitude, my ass!" Kyra shouted as she pointed one of her pistols at the hooded stranger. "Who are you? And what about the worms? You got them to do that, didn't you?!"

"Perhaps."

Kyra's temper got the better of her as she opened fire. However, the hooded man used some sort of smoke bomb to not only avoid the bullets but escape unnoticed. Kyra's frustration was palpable as she turned to her teammates and screamed:

"Son of a bitch! This was supposed to be a simple monster extermination, and then Weirdo-in-White shows up and screws with us? Cyrus, what in hell's name is going on here?"

"Hard to say," Cyrus answered. "It might just be some Garden reject messing with our minds. Either way, we have a job to complete and another hour out here in the forest. Let's just put this little incident on the back burner until we get back to Garden."

Both Taizen and Kyra nodded in agreement as the trio began searching for more caterchipillars to eliminate. Despite what he had told his teammates to do, Cyrus couldn't stop thinking about the strange man in white and his cryptic messages.

"_What the hell was he talking about?" _Cyrus mused. _"The will of the Great Hyne…"_

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Foreshadowing for the WIN!!!**

**Special thanks to Vicious Death for the review, and to AshleyMck712 for favoriting my story (not this one..."The Rise of the Repentant." Check it out!)**

**Well, new characters and mystery abounds. What could possibly...**

**_Knock, knock_**

**_Me: Who could it be at this time of night? _**

**_*I walk to the door and looks out the peephole...and see Santa Clause standing outside* _**

**_Me: Oh, fuck me..._**

**_*Santa knocks the door down, pulls a bat out of his present bag*_**

**_Santa: Don't think I forgot about you being so damned ungrateful for my gift of reviews for your last story. It's time for Santa to make his list and check it twice, bitch!_**

**_*confused look on my face*_**

**_Me: What the hell does that even mean?!_**

**_*Santa ignores me and swings at me wildly, destroying my apartment walls. I grab my souvenir cane and use it as a sword to combat Santa's Louisville Slugger. We duel for several minutes, completely trashing my furniture. Finally, I knock the bat out of Santa's hand as I hold the tip of my cane to his throat*_**

**_Santa: Now, now...Cyrus Truth, you wouldn't hurt jolly old Saint Nick, would you?_**

**_*I consider the consequences of beating Santa within an inch of his life*_**

**_Me: Eh, what the hell? Eat driftwood, Kringle!!!_**

**_*Cane connects with Santa's temple. Santa falls in a heap as I continuously pummel him with cane shots and kicks*_**

**_Me: That'll teach you, you Santa-Punching bastard. Now, get the hell off my property!_**

**_*I toss Santa out of my apartment*_**

**Geez, what the hell does Santa have against me? (BTW, if you don't understand the joke...read "The Rise of the Repentant." This Review Beg Joke is a continuation of one from that story. Seriously, read it...it makes sense in a twisted sort of way.)**

**Anyway...please review! No, really...REVIEW. I can't have Santa barging into my apartment anymore!**

**Until next time,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	5. Chapter 5

"I play Funguar left-center," a somewhat dim-witted SeeD cadet declared as he set his card down on the Triple Triad game mat.

Cyrus stared at his opponent as if he had the brain of a funguar. "Are you serious? What the hell kind of move was that?"

"W-w-what you do mean?"

"That card's a weakling," Cyrus explained as he shook his head in disbelief, "and you've only made it weaker by playing it like that! You left both ones open while blocking off that card's stronger values! Geez, it's like I'm playing cards with a two-year old! I set Malboro in the lower left corner, taking Funguar."

Cyrus's opponent looked a bit embarrassed as he fumbled through his remaining three cards. "Um…um…"

"Listen," Cyrus ordered. "We're playing with the Open rule, remember? We've already seen one another's hand before starting this game. And I know you don't have any cards above level two. On the other hand, you know that my cards are all level five and above. So I tell you what; just forfeit and let's forget this match ever happened, all right?"

The student nervously nodded as he picked up his cards and scampered away from the cafeteria table that Cyrus was sitting at. Cyrus sighed as he folded up his Triple Triad game mat and resumed eating his lunch. He was again interrupted by a familiar female voice.

"So, the great Cyrus Ranto shows mercy? Some might see that as a sign of weakness."

"Shut up, Kyra," Cyrus said with a growl as Kyra sat down. "The kid was just a newbie who just got his first training deck. It's not like he had any cards that I particularly wanted anyway, and Rule Number 11 says 'An easy victory isn't a worthwhile victory.'"

"You and your rules…you really are a strange guy, Cyrus."

"And you're a strange girl, Kyra. I guess that's why we get along so well."

Both SeeD cadets got a laugh out of that as they were joined by Taizen. The giant said nothing as he sat down at the same table as his newfound comrades. He nodded at both Cyrus and Kyra as he started to eat.

"Nice to see you too, Tai," Cyrus said sarcastically as he took a sip from his water bottle. "Quiet as usual, I see."

"Something like that," Taizen said as he munched on a piece of bread. "So, have either of you figured out who our mysterious white-robed stranger was from yesterday?"

Both Cyrus and Kyra shook their heads as Kyra answered, "I talked with Instructor Dincht about it after the monster hunt, but he didn't seem to know anything about it. He said he'd mention it to the Commander, but that's it. So in other words…no, we still don't know who that creep was and what he was babbling about."

Cyrus leaned back in his chair as Kyra finished speaking. "Well, guess that's it then."

"What do you mean, Cyrus?" Taizen implored.

"I mean that since neither we nor our superiors know anything about that guy, it isn't going to do us any good to worry about it…especially with our SeeD exam coming up. So, let's just forget about it for now and focus on training and preparing ourselves for the exam. Right?"

Kyra shrugged as she answered, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Besides, it was probably just some loser looking to freak out Balamb Garden's finest anyway. So, yeah…let's just forget it."

"Fine," Taizen curtly added.

"Excellent," Cyrus said, pleased. "Now, let's just enjoy our lunches before we have to go back to class. I am NOT looking forward to another Advanced Weapons class."

"Are there ANY classes you look forward to?" Kyra asked mockingly.

"As a matter of fact…"

"Hey, you! The loser with the scythe!"

Cyrus never got to finish his sentence as a large SeeD cadet angrily stormed up to his table with the younger student that Cyrus had played Triple Triad with earlier in tow. The SeeD candidate glared at Cyrus with hatred in his brown eyes as he demanded, "Bro, this the guy who was mean to you?"

The younger sibling nodded as the elder brother addressed Cyrus, "You made fun of my little brother and the cards I gave him. Now apologize."

"Apologize for what?" Cyrus asked incredulously. "If anything, you should apologize to your little brother for giving him such lame cards and not teaching him how to play the game correctly."

Kyra laughed as the older brother retorted, "That does it! You and me, Triple Triad right now!"

Cyrus looked at the angry SeeD cadet as if he had just turned into a big bug. "Really? You want to settle this…whatever this is…with a card game? You can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm sure as hell serious!" the elder brother replied. "So, are you going to throw down or what?"

Cyrus did his best to hold back his laughter. He didn't succeed.

"Hahahahahahaha! Did you seriously say 'throw down?' Look, I'm not going to apologize and I'm not going to play cards with you. So leave my table and let me and my friends enjoy our meals in peace."

"Son of a bitch!" the elder brother shouted as he reached across the table and grabbed Cyrus by the scruff of his vest and brought the scythe-wielding warrior within inches of his face. The obstinate SeeD cadet started breathing hot air into Cyrus's face, angering him.

"You really shouldn't have done that," Cyrus muttered as he called on his GF-enhanced strength to grab his assailant's wrist and twirl him around into a hammerlock hold. He wrapped his arm around the elder brother's neck and drove his face into the table. Kyra and Taizen acted as if they didn't noticed as they continued their meal.

"Listen very carefully," Cyrus whispered into the elder brother's ear. "I don't take threats very lightly, and I sure as hell don't settle my problems with Triple Triad. So the next time you want to defend little brother's dignity, I'd suggest you make sure that the offender isn't the so-called 'loser with the scythe.' Now get lost."

Cyrus tossed the elder brother aside with ease as the petulant SeeD fell hard on the floor. As Cyrus started back towards his seat, he felt a tug on his vest. He turned around to see the younger brother with a look of fright in his eyes. He finally managed to say:

"I'm sorry…my brother always overreacts. I just..."

Cyrus shook his head and sighed as he reached into his vest and pulled out three Triple Triad cards. He handed them to the kid and explained, "These three cards are level four monsters. They'll boost your deck pretty well. And if you ever want to learn how to play properly, go pay a visit to Doctor Kadowaki. She's pretty good and is usually willing to give out some pointers. All right, kid?"

"O-okay! Thanks, mister!" the kid said as he grabbed his new cards and ran over to help his brother back onto his feet. Cyrus snickered as he sat down and grabbed his hot dog. He took a bite as he finally noticed Kyra and Taizen giving him a weird look.

"What?" Cyrus said in-between bites as he continued to enjoy his meal.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After his Advanced Weapons class and his required two hours of armory-work, Cyrus decided to head back to his dorm room to take a shower and relax. Fortunately, his roommate wasn't in yet, so he had the entire room to himself. After showering and picking up an old issue of Weapons Monthly, Cyrus retired to his bedroom and started flipping through the pages of the magazine while lying on his bed.

Weapons Monthly was always good when it came to learning about various new weapons and upgrades, but unfortunately for Cyrus the magazine never had any sort of articles on scythe manufacturing and modifications. Still, Cyrus had a few ideas of his own on how to upgrade Tempest, and thanks to his engineering skills and his time in the armory with Quartermaster Yuno, he was confident that he had the ability to upgrade his weapon provided he found the necessary items.

"_Hmm, maybe I should ask Taizen if I can borrow Quezacoatl for a little bit," _Cyrus mused.

"_**What for?" **_Ifrit mentally asked.

"_Well, I heard that Quezacoatl has an ability that lets you create items from Triple Triad cards. If that's true, I can quickly get the items I need to upgrade my weapon just by winning card games!"_

Ifrit chuckled. _**"Are you serious? Why would a GF have an ability that obscure? Turning cards into items…that would be such a cheap way to get stronger and better-equipped!"**_

"_You have a point," _Cyrus relented with a smile. _"There's no way some divine force would make it so easy to farm items. Guess my sources were just screwing with me."_

"_**They were. By the way, good job dealing with that impudent mortal at lunch today."**_

"_Nothing to it. The guy wasn't junctioned, after all. Hell, I could've taken him down without your help!"_

"_**Yes you could have," **_Ifrit agreed, _**"But then he would have just come back later and try to catch you off-guard. A little show of our combined strength should keep him from doing anything stupid."**_

"_Don't count on it," _Cyrus rebuked. _"Rule Number 4: 'Never underestimate the power of another person's stupidity.'"_

"_**Indeed," **_Ifrit remarked as he receded deeper into Cyrus's mind. Cyrus, thankful for the peace and quiet, continued thumbing through his issue of Weapons Monthly for a couple of minutes before he was again interrupted by a knock on his door.

"Damn it!" Cyrus swore, thinking it was his roommate. "Look, man…I've told you a hundred times already: stop leaving your keycard behind!"

Nevertheless, Cyrus got up out of his bed and went to the door. When he opened it, the person standing outside was not his roommate.

"Aw, Hyne-damn it! What are you doing here, Rizo?" Cyrus angrily demanded.

The SeeD cadet called Rizo ignored Cyrus as he walked into the dorm room and declared, "Student Number 57854, Cyrus Ranto! We've heard reports of you being in an altercation with a student in the cafeteria today. The reports state that you physically assaulted said student without provocation and that you used GF-enhanced strength against an unjunctioned opponent. As a member of the Disciplinary Committee, it is my duty to escort you to the detention facility so that you can receive an appropriate punishment."

"For the love of Shiva," Cyrus moaned as he rolled his eyes. "Listen Rizo, that prick started it. He grabbed me and I reacted. Ask Kyra Vanguard or Taizen Kouken. They were sitting there, they saw the whole thing. So, unless you've got actual evidence to suggest that I was the one who started it, I'd suggest you get lost."

"Yeah…that's not going to happen, Cy. Lemme make this simple so that even a dumbass like you can understand…you are coming with me one way or the other."

Cyrus twisted his head left and right, loosening up. "I'd like to see you try, Rizo."

Rizo cackled as he replied, "Well, how about this: you and I meet out at the Dueling Circle outside of Garden. We fight, and if you win I'll forget about this whole deal. Whaddya say, Cy?"

Cyrus knew he had nothing really to gain from fighting Rizo, and he knew that Rizo, despite his posturing, wouldn't bother to bring him in for his supposed offense. Still, Cyrus hadn't fought a good battle in a few days and always liked beating Rizo into a pulp.

"Fine. I'll meet you out there in an hour. And as far as rules…"

"Come as you are," Rizo finished. "I don't care what you decide to bring to the fight. Just bring it!"

Rizo cackled again as he left Cyrus's dorm room. Cyrus shook his head in disgust as he walked back to his bedroom and grabbed his tactical vest from his closet and his scythe from the floor.

"You want a duel, Rizo? You've got it," Cyrus said out loud as he left his dorm room and made his way to the front gate.

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**Author's Notes:**

**New fight with a new character in Chapter 5...should be pretty sweet!**

**Thanks to all the favorites and reviews for both this story and "The Rise of the Repentant." You guys are awesome on top of awesome!**

**_We didn't start the flame war...it was always burning since the world's been turning! We didn't start the flame war...so leave a review, and don't be afraid to burn me!_**

**Thanks,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	6. Chapter 6

The Dueling Circle was a revered place amongst SeeD candidates. Here, in the rocky arena nestled in the foothills of the mountains hugging Balamb's northern coast, SeeD cadets would challenge one another as a means of settling rivalries and disputes outside of Garden's rules and regulations. There had been several duels of note in the history of Balamb Garden, but none were nearly as well-known and talked about as the duel between gunbladers Squall Leonhart and Seifer Almasy. The duel lasted well over thirty minutes and may have gone on longer had Almasy not cheated and used a fire spell to get the upper hand. In the end, both swordsmen received mirrored scars on their faces, symbolizing their perpetual rivalry as friends, enemies, and opposing commanders in the Second Sorceress War.

Cyrus, for his part, had no desire to make history at the Dueling Circle; he just wanted to kick Rizo's ass and be done with it. However, apparently Rizo didn't see it that way, as he apparently had gathered a large group of his fans to act as witnesses to this duel. Cyrus shook his head as he entered the Dueling Circle and sized up his opponent.

Rizo Malachi was Cyrus's antithesis: where Cyrus was usually calm, cool, collected, and laid back, Rizo constantly attempted to push and prove himself at any given opportunity. Brash, arrogant, and a general pain-in-the-ass, Rizo had made a habit out of challenging any cadet with any potential just to hold on to his supposed place on top. Some cadets believed that he was a younger Seifer Almasy, but Cyrus knew better. Sure, Almasy was brash and arrogant, but he also possessed the admirable qualities of passion, occasional selflessness, and fervent loyalty. Rizo, however, did everything for himself and his own ego.

Rizo didn't care how many people he crushed on his path towards becoming a SeeD. Just so long as he came out looking better than anyone else.

Perhaps that was the reason he constantly pestered and challenged Cyrus. Ever since a training session where Cyrus soundly defeated him and his Gemini swords, Rizo had developed an obsession with fighting and eventually defeating Cyrus Ranto. However, until today Cyrus had never accepted Rizo's challenges, feeling he had nothing to prove to the Disciplinary Committee member. Cyrus's indifference only proved to infuriate Rizo more as he continued to annoy and stalk Cyrus for another match.

That is…until today. So, as Cyrus readied his scythe and stared down his opponent, he could only feel contempt…not for his opponent, but for the fact that he had to be bothered to fight this guy again.

"Nice to see you made it, Cy!" Rizo shouted over his audience's various conversations and screaming. Rizo looked confident as he ran his fingers through his short silver-dyed hair and scratched the back of his head. He was dressed in the standard-issue denim-blue SeeD cadet pants and black boots, but wore a sleeveless green T-shirt that showed off his chiseled physique. He cackled that strange little laugh of his as he unsheathed his Gemini swords, twin katanas with blood-red blades.

"Rizo. I didn't expect a crowd to show up. After all, me pummeling you isn't exactly something new. And this fight isn't going to live up to Leonhart verses Almasy."

The crowd booed Cyrus as Rizo shot his rival a wicked grin. "Now, now Cyrus…you sell yourself way too short! I'm sure you'll be able to last long enough to give these people a good show."

"I'll do more than that," Cyrus retorted. "After all, I'm coming at you with everything I got. And as far as I know, you aren't junctioned. I'll be able to kick your ass without breaking a sweat."

"See, that's the problem with you, Cy," Rizo said as he wagged his finger, "You spent too much time ditching! If you had paid any attention, you'd have known that I too underwent pre-junction treatment and got hooked up with a GF. So don't go thinking you're all big and bad just because you beat that pathetic excuse for a fiery fur-ball!"

"_**That is it! I am going to kill that mortal!!" **_Ifrit shouted with a snarl inside Cyrus's mind.

"_Calm down," _Cyrus commanded as he replied to Rizo, "All right, then. Which GF drew the short stick and got partnered with you?"

Rizo snickered as he raised his hand into the air. Dark energy swirled around his arm as what appeared to be a giant Demi spell appeared over his head. Suddenly, a black and red-colored demonic figure with bat-like wings oozed out of the bottom of the sphere and floated down to stand beside his summoner. The demon spread its wings to reveal a pair of vicious-looking claws, a pair of searing yellow eyes, and a wide angular mouth full of sharp teeth.

"No freaking way," Cyrus croaked out. "Diablos? The Dark Messenger? How in Hyne's name did you get him? I thought the Commander sealed him away in that antique lamp!"

"He did," Rizo confirmed, "but I managed to convince the Garden Faculty that I should be the one to junction with Diablos. After a couple of calls from my mother, the deal was done."

Cyrus swore under his breath. Rizo's mother was a high-ranking Galbadian diplomat who had plenty of stroke, even with the Gardens. Still, Cyrus knew that Commander Leonhart would have never acquiesced to that bitch's demands…which meant that she and Rizo completely disregarded his authority and gave the order directly to the Garden Faculty in charged.

"So, you weaseled your way into getting Diablos just like everything else," Cyrus venomously stated. "Diablos! How does it feel to have a coward and a snake for a partner?"

Before Diablos could answer, Rizo dismissed him with a wave of his hand. Diablos nodded as he disappeared in a flurry of dark-energy bats. Cyrus laughed bitterly as he said, "I guess you don't care what your GF thinks about you."

"Of course," Rizo conceded. "Why should I care? All I want is the power he provides me. That's all."

"That's just pathetic," Cyrus said as he dropped into his battle stance. "I guess that means I get to show you what it means to be partners with a GF instead of just using them."

"Whatever," Rizo said as he brought his blades up, holding one with the blade pointing towards the sky and the other held behind him. "Just don't die before I can enjoy evening the score."

"You'll need to follow your own advice before we're through here," Cyrus angrily replied as he rushed towards Rizo.

Tempest struck first against one of Rizo's Gemini swords as Cyrus and Rizo began their duel. Both SeeD cadets continued thrusting, slashing, and parrying one another as the crowd of onlookers cheered and jeered them on. Cyrus focused more on powerful, crushing blows with both his scythe blade and shaft whereas Rizo's attacks were quick and deceptive. The two fighters continued to engage one another with physical attacks, both utilizing every last bit of their GF-enhanced strength and dexterity to try and land the first blow and draw blood.

After a good fifteen minutes of hacking and slashing, both Cyrus and Rizo decided to change things up with some magic spells. Rizo was first, as he smirked and pointed his opened right palm at Cyrus and shouted, "Demi!"

Cyrus felt as if he had just gained several hundred pounds as dark energy twisted and contorted around him, forcing his body to expand and contract involuntarily. As the spell subsided, Cyrus felt to one knee clutching his ribcage in pain. The crowd gasped as Rizo cackled and shouted:

"Is that it? One little Demi spell and you're spent?" Rizo mocked. "And here I was hoping for a fight!"

"Who said this fight was over?" Cyrus retorted as he got back to his feet and pointed his fist at Rizo. "Fire!"

A fireball erupted from Cyrus's gloved fist and rocketed towards Rizo with incredible velocity. The Fire spell hit Rizo squarely in the chest and sent the arrogant swordsman flying back into one of the large, jagged rocks that surrounded the Dueling Circle. The rock splintered and cracked as Rizo's body met stone. Rizo, to his credit, shook off the effects of the Fire spell fairly well; even though he suffered second-degree burns to his torso and shoulders, he still looked at Cyrus like he still wanted to fight.

Cyrus sighed as he grabbed his scythe with both hands and readied himself for another barrage of steel. As loathe as he was to admit it, Rizo had gotten stronger…much stronger.

"_**Do not lose your resolve, Cyrus!" **_Ifrit commanded from the recesses of Cyrus's mind. _**"He is strong, but strength alone does not win a battle. Remember back when you challenged me…"**_

Cyrus was a little confused by Ifrit's advice, but then it finally hit him. He smiled as Rizo shouted over the noise of the crowd, "Hey, Cy! What in hell's name are you smiling about? After all, you've been getting your ass kicked all over this circle for the past few minutes and your best spell only managed to piss me off!"

"My best? No, I haven't been fighting you with my best," Cyrus explained. "I've merely been fighting your kind of fight. I think it's time we fight mine."

With that, Cyrus grabbed three vials from his vest and threw them on the ground between him and Rizo. The vials shattered and released a huge cloud of smoke that obstructed the crowd's view of the fight. The SeeD cadet audience groaned and shouted angrily as they could only hear the sound of metal clashing and heavy footsteps. Then, after a couple of minutes of smoke cover, the sounds of battle ceased, and all in attendance held their collective breath wondering what had happened with the scythe-wielder and the swordsman.

Their answers were answered as the smoke cleared a minute later…by the sight of Rizo laying on the ground with Cyrus's boot pressing down on his back and Tempest's blade to his throat. Rizo was swearing vehemently under his breath as Cyrus stood with a stoic expression on his face, showing no sign of remorse, relief, or joy. Finally, he carefully removed his scythe's blade from Rizo's throat and replaced it on its magnetic sheath on his back.

"What the hell is this?" Rizo asked as he tried to stand. "This fight isn't over until I say…"

Cyrus lost his temper and finally shut Rizo up with a vicious knockout haymaker to the brash SeeD cadet's right temple. Rizo crumbled to the ground like a sack of rocks as some of his flunkies rushed to aid their fallen champion. Cyrus, having no such fanatics in this particular group, shrugged and scoffed as he quietly left the Dueling Circle and pushed past the jeering crowds.

The scythe fighter didn't need praise. He had accomplished what he set out to do; and despite the several scratches, bruises, and his internal injuries, Cyrus walked away with a feeling of accomplishment. After all, he had fought a tough battle and defeated a strong opponent...and he did it with tactics and not brute strength.

"_Thanks, Rizo…you bastard."_

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**Author's Notes:**

**Short chapter, loads of action. Hope it was a pretty decent chapter. If not, do let me know!**

**Chapter 7 is where the story really starts to pick up...so stay tuned for some awesomeness!**

**Now if you'll excuse me, I have a...guest I need to attend to.**

**_*I log off my computer and look at a closed-circuit TV set up in a dark corner of my apartment. I pick up a microphone and turn the TV on, only to see a Fan Fiction Reader strapped to a filthy hospital table with an axe swinging like a pendulum above him.*_**

**_Reader: What the hell?! Let me go! What in the name of Squinoa is going on here?!?!_**

**_Me (Voice-Morphed): Hello, Reader. My name is Truth. I want to play a little game..._**

**_*Reader starts to panic.*_**

**_Me (Voice-Morphed): You see, lots of writers put a lot of work into their fanfics, and some don't put any work into them at all. However, all writers deserve to have fellow writers and readers such as yourself critique or praise their work to give them motivation to either be better writers or help push them to complete their works. However, you are like a leech...taking and taking from the writers without giving them so much as a tiny little review. And that is why you are here._**

**_Reader: Are you insane?!! You're going to kill me just because I wouldn't review the stories I read?_**

**_Me (Voice-Morphed): I'm not going to kill you...but you just might kill yourself. This pendulum will start swinging lower and lower until it saws you in half or you give a review for the stories you've read. If you can suffer through the "agonizing pain" of reviewing some fan fiction, the shackles will automatically release and you will be free. Your fate is now in your hands. Live or die...it's your choice._**

**_*Reader started screaming incoherently as I turn the TV off, shaking my head in disappointment.*_**

**Don't end up like my guest...just leave a review.**

**BTW, Jigsaw ain't got s##t on me!**

**Until next time,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	7. Chapter 7

Two weeks had passed since Cyrus and Rizo's fight at the Dueling Circle, and for the most part they had been uneventful. Cyrus's life had been a routine series of classes, training, armory work, and the occasional fun moments with his new friends Kyra and Taizen. Cyrus, under Ifrit's tutelage, had mastered the low-level spells and had moved onto higher-level magic. He also had gotten much more adept at utilizing his stocked spells to increase his strength, vitality, and magical power, allowing him to not only fight harder and longer, but also hit harder both physically and magically.

Cyrus's reminiscing was interrupted by Quistis Trepe announcing to the class, "All right, everyone! The SeeD field exam is tomorrow. All those who didn't pass the written exam are to remain here in study hall with Instructor Aki for the duration of the exam. All qualifying candidates are to meet in the Quad for team assignments and mission debriefing. Any questions?"

No one spoke up as Quistis nodded. "All right, then. That's all I have for you today. All cadets taking the exam tomorrow: get yourselves some rest and make sure your equipment is all in order. Dismissed!"

Everyone got up out of their seats and made their way to the classroom exit. Cyrus was about to step out when Quistis grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Cyrus," Quistis said in a low whisper, "make sure you take this exam seriously. This isn't just another training exercise…this is going to be real combat. Even with a GF, you could still get hurt…or killed."

"Relax, Instructor," Cyrus said with a smile as he calmly removed Quistis's hand from his arm. "I know what I'm doing and I know the difference between practice and the real thing. So don't worry…your number one student is going to make you proud. I promise."

Quistis shook her head in disbelief, but couldn't hold back an amused smile as Cyrus left the classroom and made his way to the elevator. As Cyrus pressed the button for the first floor, a slender hand prevented the elevator door from closing as its owner stepped inside.

"You really need to have better timing, Kyra," Cyrus commented as the red-haired woman joined him in the elevator. "Especially if you insist on stalking me."

"You know you love it, you prick," Kyra said with a chuckle as the elevator started its descent. "So, what'd Instructor Trepe have to tell you that was so damn important?"

"Same old, same old. 'Take the exam seriously, if you don't you could be hurt, blah blah blah.' She's a good teacher and all, but she can be a little too clingy towards her students."

"And by 'students' you mean you?" Kyra questioned as the elevator made it to the first floor atrium. "What is it about you that's got her so worried about you?"

"Hell if I know," Cyrus replied with a shrug as he and Kyra stepped off the elevator. "Maybe she's just fallen for the Cyrus Ranto charm."

"Bullshit."

"Hey, it would explain a lot of things. Besides, Instructor Trepe's only a few years older than I am, and she is very attractive. And that whip…"

"Pervert," Kyra snorted as she smacked Cyrus lightly on the back of the head.

"Oh, you know you love it," Cyrus retorted with a laugh as the two headed for the dormitories.

"Asshole," Kyra said with a smile.

"Bitch," Cyrus replied with a grin of his own.

The two laughed as they strolled briskly past the Training Center and the parking garage. When they made it to the dorms, Cyrus and Kyra said their goodbyes as they headed for their separate rooms. After a quick minute, Cyrus opened his dorm room door and stepped over the mess his roommate had made. He finally made his way to his own bedroom, Tempest leaning up against the wall and his SeeD cadet uniform freshly-pressed and hanging above his bed.

Cyrus gently grabbed his scythe, sat down on his bed, and used his trusty whetstone to sharpen his weapon's blade. As he ran the stone across Tempest's blade, Ifrit's voice spoke from his mind:

"_**Are you all right, Cyrus? Your mind seems troubled. Do not tell me the always-confident Cyrus Ranto is nervous?"**_

"_It's not that. It's just…strange. I've spent the last five years at Garden just to get ready for this day. Now that it's tomorrow, I just don't know how I should feel."_

"_**You will be fine," **_Ifrit assured the young man. _**"You are much stronger than when we first met. As long as you have faith in me, there is nothing this exam can throw your way that you cannot handle."**_

"_Hope you're right, partner," _Cyrus mentally replied as he continued sharpening his scythe.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After sharpening his weapon, Cyrus picked up a late supper and a good night's sleep. The next morning, he grabbed a yogurt from his mini-fridge and quickly devoured it. A quick shower and shave later, Cyrus grabbed his SeeD cadet uniform and quickly put it on. The uniform was a two-piece outfit: a light blue jacket and a matching pair of pants. Cyrus wore the jacket over one of his black T-shirts; even so, Cyrus hated how stiff and uncomfortable the uniform was to wear, and he could only imagine how much tougher it would make fighting. Still, if he didn't wear it, he would lose points towards his eventual SeeD rank, and that was something Cyrus was not about to let happen.

Still, he wasn't about to let his combat abilities suffer because of the damn uniform as he put on a white tactical vest over his jacket. The vest had numerous pockets and slots for all of his chemicals, items, and vials he used to mix his combat potions and concoctions. It might cost him a point or two, but he wasn't going into battle without all his resources at hand.

After loading up on mixing items and grabbing Tempest, Cyrus left his dorm room and walked quickly towards the Quad. There, fifteen other candidates waited impatiently for the Commander to announce this year's SeeD exam via the giant plasma screen installed onto the wall. Cyrus carefully made his way past several jittery and anxious cadets until he found one who was not in a very good mood.

Apparently, Kyra hated her SeeD cadet uniform even more than Cyrus hated his. The uniform for girls had a similar jacket, but instead of pants the female cadets were required to wear skirts…very, very short skirts. No one was quite sure whose idea it was to design the ladies' outfit like that, but most of the female cadets didn't seem to mind. Well, almost all of them…

Kyra was swearing vehemently under her breath as Cyrus walked up to her. She shot Cyrus a glare as she warned, "Say one word and I'll kill you in your sleep."

Cyrus gulped and nodded. Despite the fact that such an opportunity to rib Kyra may never present itself ever again, Cyrus knew from the tone in Kyra's voice that she was deadly serious. Instead, Cyrus leaned his scythe against his left shoulder and looked up at the screen as the static disappeared and the face of Commander Leonhart faded in.

"Good morning, cadets," Commander Leonhart said. "Today we have sixteen cadets taking the SeeD exam. You will be divided into teams of four with each team under the guidance of one of our instructors.

"Your exam will take place in Esthar. As you are all aware, Esthar is still suffering from the effects of the Lunar Cry seven years ago. While most of the capital's districts have been cleared of monsters, there are still several sections of the city that are infested with Lunar Cry monsters. Esthar soldiers are spread throughout the cleared districts to keep the monsters from returning. As such, they don't have the manpower to clear out the remaining monsters. That's why President Laguna Loire has contracted us to get rid of the monsters…and we've received permission to use this mission as the field exam.

"You will depart from Balamb Harbor at 1100 hours. From there you will reach the special SeeD dock leading into Esthar City, where you will meet with Estharian military leaders who will direct you to the aforementioned red zones. Your instructors will fill you in on any pertinent details. Good luck."

All the cadets saluted Commander Leonhart as the team assignments scrolled onto the overhead monitor. Cyrus looked up and noted that he was assigned to Squad C and that Kyra and Taizen were assigned to Squad A.

"Damn it anyhow," Cyrus muttered as he turned to Kyra and said, "Well, looks like you and Taizen are on your own for the exam. Don't let any of those toramas turn you into a scratching post."

"You're one to talk," Kyra shot back. "I guess you didn't see who else was on your team."

"What are you talking about?" Cyrus asked as he took another look at the squad assignments. He looked over his team as it finally hit him. "Oh, hell in a handbasket…"

"Well, well…" a familiar voice called out over the crowds. As Cyrus turned around to face the voice's owner, he saw Rizo in his full SeeD cadet uniform smiling and walking towards him. He slapped his hand down on Cyrus's right shoulder as he said with a gleam in his eye:

"It's been a while, hasn't it…teammate?"

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**Author's Notes:**

**Long time, no upload! Sorry for the delay, but I've been doing job training for my new position. I was in North Dakota at my new employer's corporate HQ last week. Just waiting on the state to tell our office that we can open. Stupid freaking bureaucracy...anyhow, I'm back and uploading...even if it's a short chapter.**

**Special thanks to Kirie05 and the Duelist of Dawn for their reviews and favorites on both this story and "The Rise of the Repentant." Keep it up, guys! I need the motivation!!!**

**Chapter 8 brings with it the SeeD exam. Will Cyrus and Rizo work well together, or will one of them have to do a little slice and dice on the other? Stay tuned to find out!**

**_You must review...You must review...You must review...You must review...You must review...Oh, would you just review already?!_**

**Later,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	8. Chapter 8

"Are you serious, Instructor?" Cyrus hissed in a low tone to Quistis as Garden Marine Vessel _Excalibur _speedily cut through the ocean waves on the way to Esthar City Harbor. Rizo held the attention of Squad C's other team members, two hyperactive Rizo-fangirls. Cyrus stole a glance at the disgusting display of hero worship as Quistis responded in a whisper:

"Sorry! I know you and Rizo aren't exactly best friends, but the teams can't be changed. And knowing the Commander as well as I do, he probably heard about your little spar at the Dueling Circle and made sure to put you two on the same team."

"The Commander heard about that?" Cyrus whispered angrily.

"Oh, yes. And since the Commander is fond of challenging Balamb Garden's most promising students, he figured that if you and Rizo could put aside your differences for one mission that you'd both be perfect for SeeD."

"Son of a…"

"Hey, Cy!" Rizo shouted, interrupting Cyrus's clandestine conversation with Quistis. "Don't be so damn gloomy! We're gonna have fun on this exam. Ain't that right, ladies?"

Squad C's female team members nodded excitedly in agreement as Rizo went back to basking in their admiration. Cyrus stood his head disapprovingly as he turned back to Quistis and said, "Fine. If it'll get me into SeeD, I'll put up with that jackass. But I reserve the right to kick his ass if he does anything to jeopardize the mission."

"That is your right as team leader," Quistis said approvingly. "Just try not to let your personal feelings cloud your judgment."

"No problem. I'll get the job done, and I'll do my best to make sure Rizo doesn't screw it up or me over. Hate to have his fangirls shoot me in the back, after all."

Quistis palmed her forehead as if this whole situation was giving her a headache. "You know, Hyne must have a sense of humor. Why else would I always get stuck with the problem students?"

In spite of his anger at the situation, Cyrus had to laugh.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After three hours on the seas, the GMVs carrying the SeeD candidates finally docked in Esthar's secret seaboard base, safely hidden behind the optical camouflage screen that isolated Esthar from the rest of the world. Despite it being seven years since the end of the Second Sorceress War, Estharians were still a bit xenophobic from the First Sorceress War and the reign of Adel. Still, Esthar maintained friendly relations with the Garden Alliance and was Garden's biggest client, contracting SeeD to help with the extermination of Lunar Cry monsters and with the occasional political uprising.

As _Excalibur's _mandible-like front doors opened and its occupants exited the vessel, Cyrus took a moment to admire how advanced Estharian technology was compared to Galbadia's or even Garden's. The GMVs looked like wooden galleons compared to the heavily-armed, highly-advanced Estharian vessels docked nearby. As the SeeD candidates disembarked into the sea base, Cyrus stole a glance over at Squad A and gave Kyra and Taizen a thumbs-up for luck that they returned.

Cyrus, Rizo, and the rest of Squad C followed Quistis to one of the Estharian armored personnel carriers, guarded by a pair of Esthar soldiers. Cyrus did his best to suppress a chuckle at the sight of incredibly gaudy, insectoid-looking outfits that Esthar's finest wore into battle as Squad C reached the APC. Quistis motioned for them to enter as she gave them one final "good luck" before walking back to the _Excalibur. _The APC's doors sealed shut as it started to move out. Within seconds, Squad C was greeted by a soldier wearing a bright red variant of the standard uniform.

"Ah, SeeD Candidate Squad C? And which one of you is the team leader?"

"I am," Cyrus spoke up. "Pleased to meet you, sir. I'm Cyrus Ranto."

"Very well," the officer responded, "I'll brief you on your mission.

"We are currently en-route to District 44, one of Esthar's more important research areas. Specifically, our scientists up until seven years ago developed much of Esthar's military and industrial technology in District 44. However, when the Crystal Pillar was activated by the Galbadians at Tear's Point, the district was immediately abandoned and overrun by monsters. Up until now, all of our military's focus has been on clearing the monsters out of the residential and commercial districts, so District 44 has been relatively untouched.

"Your task is to enter District 44 and eliminate the monsters that are nesting there. Also, if you happen to come across any intact computer terminals, we are offering a bonus for any information you might be able to extract from them. Just plug this data-pad into the terminal and it'll do the rest."

The officer pulled out the compact data-pad and handed it to Cyrus. Cyrus thoroughly examined the device as the officer continued, "Our contract with Balamb Garden is good until 2000 hours. At that time, all SeeD cadet squads are to withdraw from their respective districts and return to the predetermined rendezvous points for extraction. After which, Estharian troopers will surround the four districts and eliminate any stragglers. Any questions?"

Rizo was about to say some smart-ass remark until Cyrus silenced him with a killing glare. Cyrus then spoke up and said, "I just have two questions. One, what sorts of monsters are we expected to encounter? Two, where is the rendezvous point?"

The officer nodded in acknowledgment. "To answer your last question, the primary rendezvous point is right where we will be dropping you off. We decided to keep this simple since this is your first real field assignment. In the event that you are unable to reach the primary extraction site, the data-pad I handed to you will guide you to the location of a secondary point.

"As far as monsters are concerned, District 44 is fairly compact…lots of small research facilities all bunched together. So I don't anticipate you'll run into any larger than a torama. Still, stranger things have happened since this whole Lunar Cry mess, so stay on your guard."

"I plan on doing just that," Cyrus replied. "That's all I wanted to know. How soon until we reach District 44?"

"Approximately ten minutes. I'd suggest you double-check your gear before we get there."

"I'll take your advice, sir," Cyrus said as he saluted the Estharian officer. The officer returned the gesture and walked towards the APC's cab. Cyrus, for his part, double-checked his gear and took a moment to relax.

In just a few short minutes, he and the rest of Squad C would be entering the real Monster's Lair…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ten minutes later, the APC reached its destination: a military checkpoint just outside of District 44. Squad C quickly filed out of the military vehicle and watched as the vehicle sped across the Estharian superhighway and out of sight. Cyrus turned to his team members, pointed at the two girls, and said:

"All right, everyone. Once we enter District 44, I want you two to provide covering fire from the rear with your machine guns while Rizo and I handle the monsters up close and personal. We will handle the majority of the monsters…you just make sure we don't get ambushed."

"Tch. Fine. But I still say Rizo should be our team captain!" one of the girls exclaimed as the other nodded in agreement. Rizo just grinned as Cyrus sighed in exasperation.

"Look, this isn't a democracy. I'm team leader, and unless you have a really good reason you have to follow my orders to the letter. Remember, this mission is also our SeeD exam, and a SeeD follows orders from his or her officers. You two got a problem with that?"

Both girls were about to say something they were going to regret before Rizo butted him. "Ladies, calm down! Look, just leave everything to me and we'll all be sipping champagne at the SeeD graduation ball together. Sound like a plan?"

The girls nodded as they started to blush. Cyrus resisted the urge to puke as he motioned for his team to follow him past the checkpoint and into District 44. Just like the Estharian officer had said, District 44 was a completely-ruined collection of small laboratories and research platforms. Three minutes of wandering the wreckage, Squad C came upon a pair of turtapods accompanied by an imp.

"All right, people. Time to earn some exam points," Cyrus said as both he and Rizo unsheathed their respective weapons. The girls aimed their firearms at the imp as Cyrus and Rizo each took on one turtapod.

Cyrus struck first, cutting cleanly through one of the monster's protective hide flaps. The turtapod screeched in pain as it started to levitate and hurl itself as Cyrus. Familiar with this attack, Cyrus quickly sidestepped to dodge and brought his blade down hard on top of the turtle-like monster, ripping it apart.

Rizo's opponent had curled up its hide flaps, protecting the monster from harm. That didn't deter Rizo as he continued to hack and slash into the turtapod's hide until he finally cut through. Smiling wildly, Rizo skewered the monster through the head with one of his Gemini Blood Swords, killing it instantly.

As for the imp, the two female members of Squad C managed to eliminate it in a hailstorm of lead. Once everyone caught their breath, Cyrus nodded approvingly.

"Nice work, everyone. Keep this up and we'll have no problems in here."

The outspoken girls just huffed in annoyance as she and her friend turned their attention to Rizo. Before they could inflate Rizo's already-swollen ego some more, Cyrus pointed towards a building that stood above the other and said, "All right, let's head for that building and see what we can find. Maybe there's a terminal in there we can use."

"Aye, aye captain," Rizo said mockingly as the girls laughed.

Cyrus clutched his chin in irritation. _"This is going to be a long exam."_

"_**Tell me about it," **_Ifrit concurred from inside his summoner's mind.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Another short chapter, but I always prefer building slowly to just "wham, bam, thank you ma'am" any day. Hope I still keep it interesting for all my fans...okay, just Kirie05 and Vicious Death. But more readers and reviews are welcome!**

**Next up: Chapter 9...the investigation of the abandoned research facility and some awesomeness!**

**I want you to do what you best...and that's layeth the revieweth down on this candy ass story! IF YOU SMEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLL WHAT THE TRUTH IS COOKING!**

**Until next time,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	9. Chapter 9

Fifteen minutes and a pack of slain toramas later, Cyrus, Rizo, and the rest of Squad C made their way to the central research facility. Unlike the round, short, uniform facilities that littered the landscape that was District 44, this building was pyramid-shaped and jutted up thirty feet into the sky. Dark glass covered the facility's walls, giving it the appearance of a black spearhead. As Squad C moved closer to the building's front entrance, they found themselves in front of a large metal door that looked like it wasn't about to open any time soon.

"Way to go, Fearless Leader," Rizo sarcastically said. "You just wasted our time walking up here…time we could have spent wasting monsters. Way to ruin the SeeD exam for us!"

"Rizo, I'm only going to tell you this once…know your role and shut your mouth!" Cyrus ordered. "And as far as this door is concerned, just sit back and watch."

With that, Cyrus reached into his vest and grabbed four vials containing a light-green liquid. In a flash, he threw his chemical concoctions at the door, one vial for each of the door's heavy steel hinges. A few seconds later, the other three members of Squad C looked on in shock as the Cyrus's chemicals started to hiss and bubble. A minute later, the chemical had cleanly dissolved the hinges, freeing the doors from the walls. Cyrus smirked as he used his junctioned strength to kick the doors down, much to the displeasure of Rizo and the surprise of Squad C's female members.

Without saying a word, Cyrus motioned for his teammates to follow him as he grabbed a glowstick from his vest and ventured into the research facility. The glowstick gave off a dim green light as Cyrus cautiously navigated the ruined laboratory with Squad C in tow. Where once an impressive scientific research facility once stood was now a testament to the carnage wrought upon Esthar via the Lunatic Pandora and the Lunar Cry.

As Squad C proceeded deeper and deeper into the facility, their attention was diverted to what looked like a backup power generator. Rizo walked up to the generator and flipped a switch. After a couple false starts, the generator finally turned over and started running wild, bringing power back to the facility and turning on the lights.

"Well, that makes things easier," Rizo commented as he turned to Cyrus. "So, what now Cy?"

"Now that power's been restored, let's see if we can find a terminal. You know, make Garden a little extra money?"

"Do we really have to? After all, our mission's monster-slaying. This terminal crap's just secondary," Rizo pointed out.

"True, but we still have six hours out here. And with our team, we can rack up monster hides in no time. And I'm a bit curious as to what kind of research Esthar's been conducting here and why we're getting paid extra to retrieve it. Got a problem with that, Rizo?"

Rizo cackled. "Taking a peek at state secrets and getting paid? Cy, I didn't know you had it in you! Well, Fearless Leader, what are we waiting for? Lead us on to victory!"

"Um, guys?" the outspoken female team member interrupted. "We've got a bit of a problem here."

"What are you talking…?" Rizo started to say before he finally saw what had his teammate so spooked, "…oh, damn. What the hell?"

Cyrus turned around as he saw what had spooked his team: an Esthar soldier carrying a standard-issue Talon, a hybrid weapon that combined a shotgun with a pickaxe. Unlike the rest of the Esthar soldiers that Squad C had passed by, these soldiers wore black uniforms and carried the heavy Talons easily in one hand.

"Terminators," Cyrus said as two more came into view. "Estharian cyborgs designed to look and fight like standard Esthar soldiers. They must've been reactivated when Rizo flipped the generator switch."

"So these are the E-Army Terminators, eh?" Rizo scoffed as the cyborgs examined their surroundings. "They don't look that tough…or smart for that matter. Wonder if they…"

Before Rizo could finish his sentence, all three Terminators directed their attention at Squad C and opened fire with the shotgun portions of their Talons. The scattershot weapons echoed loudly throughout the facility as Cyrus's instincts allowed him to step out in front and block the cyborgs' barrage with a Protect spell.

"Is everyone all right?" Cyrus demanded as Rizo and the two girls nodded. The Terminators continued firing shot after shot into the magical barrier, and Cyrus soon realized that it would not hold out for much longer.

"Ifrit! Get out here!" Cyrus shouted as a pillar of roaring flames burst out of the ground, carrying the Demon Lord of Flames with it. "Think you can get these tin cans' attention?"

"I will do more than that," Ifrit replied as he leapt into the trio of cyborgs, smashing one of them into a pile of rubble with a powerful punch. The other Terminators quickly reassessed the greatest threat as they rushed Ifrit with their Talons held high. As they tried to drive their weapons' pointed tips into Ifrit, the GF retaliated with one quick swipe of his arm, sending the cyborgs rocketing into the wall. They survived, but were badly damaged. Cyrus dropped the Protect spell as he and Rizo quickly finished them off with quick slashes to the Terminators' necks, severing their heads from their bodies and permanently shutting them down.

"Thank you Ifrit," Cyrus calmly said as he placed his scythe back on its magnetic sheath. "That's all for now. I appreciate it, partner."

"Anytime," Ifrit said with a nod as he disappeared in a flurry of flames. Cyrus nodded to Rizo as he went over to check on the rest of Squad C.

"You two all right?" Cyrus asked as he helped the two girls get back on their feet.

"Um, yeah. Thanks," the chatty girl answered. "So…why'd those things attack? I thought we were on Esthar's side.

"…It's a research facility," the other girl finally spoke up for the first time since the mission started. "They're probably programmed to eliminate anyone who they perceive to be an invader. Whatever Esthar was working on in here…they didn't want anyone to know about it."

Cyrus was impressed. Maybe there was more to Squad C's female members than he had thought. "Damn good analysis…um, well I guess we've never been fully introduced."

Cyrus extended his hand. "I'm Cyrus."

The quiet girl nervously took Cyrus's hand with her own and shook it. "Mari. And that's Ano."

"A pleasure," Cyrus said with a smile. "Well, we're burning daylight just sitting here. There's an elevator over there…let's see where it takes us."

"Are you nuts?" Ano screeched. "Who knows how many more of those freaky robots are in this deathtrap? I say we should get the hell out of here and go back to slaying monsters!"

Cyrus shook his head. "No. We've finding a terminal and getting that data. And now that we know that these Terminators are hostile, we shouldn't have this issue anymore. So we're going up. And that's an order."

"…Okay," Mari said as she picked up her machine gun and reloaded it.

"But…" Ano started to say as she turned to Rizo. "Rizo, you can't let him do this!"

"…Well, while I do agree with you Ano, it doesn't change the fact that Cy's squad leader. If he says we go, we go. Nothing else to it."

Rizo sheathed his blood swords and, with a smile on his face, wrapped his arm around Ano's shoulders. "But don't worry! Once Cy gets himself killed by one of them Terminators, I'll take command and lead us all towards glorious victory! All right, sweetie?"

Ano blushed as Cyrus shook his head. He then nodded at Mari and led his teammates towards the now fully-operational elevators. Cyrus took a guess and selected a random floor, hoping it would have what he was looking for. The elevator rumbled to life as it quickly transported Squad C up to the research facility's upper floors.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After an hour of checking floors and dealing with Terminators and various Lunar Cry monsters, Squad C had reached the top floor of District 44's main research facility. Being the very tip of the pyramidal structure, all the top floor consisted of was a large, open room with no hallways or separate offices or laboratories. However, this room did have one very important thing: a collection of computers, processing systems, and various other pieces of Estharian technology designed to contain and interpret data collected from District 44's numerous labs. This room also was host to four cyborg commandos, Talons poised to fire at the intruders.

Cyrus, however, was ready this time. Knowing that they were machines, he quickly let loose a pair of Thunder spells, shorting out two of them and forcing their comrades to rethink their strategy. Rizo and the girls finished off the other two with a combination of para-magic and machine-gun fire. Once the Terminators were dealt with, Cyrus quickly walked up to one of the terminals and plugged in the datapad he had gotten from the Esthar officer. Once he plugged it in, the datapad started to download all the data contained on the terminal at blazingly fast speeds. Cyrus, for his part, went to work on another terminal, hoping to get a clue as to what the Estharian scientists were up to in District 44.

Finally, after a couple of minutes of tinkering, Cyrus finally was able to pull up an audio log posted by one of the scientists. Squad C huddled around their leader as a static-filled transmission started to play.

_"…ruined samples…Centra…long and winding road…Hyne's descendents…resurrection…Alio Ruins…final weapon…royal blood…Armageddon…are all doomed…"_

"Man, it's just a garbled mess! What a bitch!" Rizo complained as Cyrus pocketed the datapad.

"…This place has been abandoned for seven years. I guess it was too much to expect the data to not be corrupted," Mari commented.

Ano sighed loudly. "Then all this was a waste of time! Way to fail miserably, Cyrus."

Cyrus growled. Ano had been as much a pain in his ass as Rizo, and not nearly as helpful. He was about to give Ano a piece of his mind when he heard what sounded like heavy breathing coming from above.

"What the hell is…" Cyrus started to say as the glass ceiling above him shattered and a giant beast fell through. The monster was even larger than a T-Rexaur and looked like a violet demon with a mane of red fur and horns that Ifrit would have been proud of. The beast stood on all fours and roared loudly, shattering the computer screens and chilling the blood of Ano and Mari with fear. Cyrus, in spite of his apprehension at this new challenge, took a moment to cast a Scan spell to know what he was up against.

He didn't like what the Scan spell had to tell him.

**_Behemoth_**

**_Level 31_**

**_A powerful and intelligent creature, behemoths tower over most other monsters and are rivaled only by dragons as the most dangerous of lunar bio-forms. Behemoths have highly-advanced instincts that allow them to anticipate their opponent's moves, and at higher levels are capable of casting spells such as Meteor and Tornado. _**

"No way," Ano stammered in disbelief. "A behemoth? The officer said there weren't any high-level monsters in District 44!"

"Apparently he was wrong," Cyrus said grimly as he grabbed his scythe and dropped into his ready stance. The usually boastful Rizo was uncharacteristically silent as he too prepared himself for a fight.

"H-h-hey! You two don't seriously think we can fight something like that? That's thing's too strong. We have to run!"

"And just where can we run to, Ano? If this monster's as strong as you think it is, then it'll kill us either way. Better to fight and take our chances than to run and die for sure."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Cy," Rizo said approvingly as both he and Cyrus faced off against the behemoth. Mari, in spite of her fright, brought her gun up and clicked off the safety.

Ano wasn't having any of this as she foolishly made a run for the elevator. The behemoth immediately cut her off in a flash and brought its powerful spike tail down hard on the SeeD cadet, shattering her bones and killing her instantly. Cyrus swore under his breath as the behemoth turned around to face the three remaining members of Squad C. Cyrus knew that a monster of this level was going to be close to impossible to slay at his team's current level and position, but he was determined to avenge Ano's death and prevent any more of his teammates to die.

"Let's do this," Cyrus commanded in a low tone as he and Rizo dashed forward towards the behemoth and Mari opened fire…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Finally! Got this chapter done and can finally get back to some real action! Stay tuned for Chapter 10 and the Battle with the Behemoth.**

**Kirie05, you continually rock my world! And thanks goes to Barny for putting "When Gods Rise Again" on alert...but you get no super-special digital cookies because you didn't review! Come on man, don't be like the reader from my _Saw _parody...**

**_Inner Voice: Cyrus, why do you continuously plead for reviews? It's not like anyone cares enough about this story to let you know what they think of it!_**

**_Me: Voice, I swear to the Truth...if you don't shut up, I'm coming in there! With the Holy Hand Grenade!_**

**_Inner Voice: NOOOOOOOO!!!! Not the Holy Hand Grenade! Please, readers! Review! For the love of the Truth, just freaking REVIEW!!!_**

**That ought to shut him up.**

**Thanks,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	10. Chapter 10

In Esthar City's 57th District, the members of Squad A were in a constant state of battle as hordes and hordes of monsters continued to rush them. Team leader Taizen was able to keep Kyra and the rest of his troops collected and organized as they fought wave after wave of imps, turtapods, and toramas. Thanks to his knowledge of battle tactics and formations, Taizen was able to form a simple box with each member of Squad A making up one corner. The box formation had been used for centuries and had proven in the past to be tough to break.

In this instance, the box held true as the members of Squad A continued slaughtering monsters with blades, blows, and firepower. Finally, after a full twenty minutes of fighting, the monsters stopped rushing in. This pause in the battle gave Squad A a chance to catch their breath and lick their wounds.

Taizen, after checking and healing his injuries with curative magic, sheathed Griffin's Heart and walked over to Kyra, who had taken the most damage by far due to her preference for close-quarters, unarmed combat. She had received several lacerations from a pair of toramas, and her right arm and leg were broken thanks to an imp's Blizzara spell. In spite of all that, the crimson-haired fighter still stood under her own power and maintained a fiery look in her eyes. Taizen shook his head in disbelief as he conjured up a Cura spell.

"You do know that you're carrying two guns, right?" Taizen simply asked as the Cura spell closed Kyra's wounds and repaired her shattered limbs. "Why are you insisting on using melee combat?"

"Because you and Cyrus don't need guns to fight," Kyra answered with a snarl, "and I can't have you two thinking that I somehow need my guns to keep up."

Taizen stared at his teammate in disbelief. "You are willing to put your life in greater danger than is necessary for something like that? Are you insane?"

"Only a little," Kyra admitted as Taizen finished healing her. She tested her once-broken limbs and was pleased to know that they were as good as new. Kyra then turned to Taizen and explained, "I've been at Garden for six years, and in all that time I've never found anyone who was willing to push me to my limits. But then I met and fought Cyrus…"

"And because of that fight you wish to surpass him?" Taizen asked.

"I think it's the same for him. Heck, he went and fought Ifrit alone just to become stronger! I guess we push each other to become better so that we're tough enough to take on any mission Garden decides to throw our way. At least that's what I think."

"I see," Taizen said as he pondered what Kyra had just told him. His thoughts were interrupted as he saw an annoyed look on Kyra's face. "Is something wrong?"

"It's Shiva. I think she developed a bit of a crush on Cyrus ever since he poured on the charm when he met her. She's asking me if Cyrus is going to be all right."

"Hmm. Well, I haven't known Cyrus for very long, but he seems capable enough. His ability to quickly assess any given situation is his greatest strength in my opinion. Combined with his resourcefulness and his combat abilities, I'm certain he's doing quite well."

"You're probably right," Kyra agreed. "Even with that asshole Rizo, Cyrus is probably cruising through this exam. I'd bet a hundred Gil that he's racked up so many kills that he's just taking it easy, waiting for the extraction team…"

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The behemoth struck first, bringing its powerful tail down hard on Cyrus. It took all of Cyrus's enhanced strength and speed not only to block the behemoth's tail with Tempest but hold it back. Rizo, seeing his opening, dashed towards the behemoth with the intention of slicing its head off with his Gemini Blood Swords. However, he was halted by a swipe of the behemoth's paw. Rizo flew hard into the nearby wall, leaving a dent and knocking him out.

Cyrus swore as the sound of machine-gun fire filled the air. Mari, still frightened, had managed enough courage to pull the trigger on her weapon and riddled the behemoth's left shoulder with lead. The behemoth roared in pain as he swatted Cyrus away with a flick of his tail and started pawing the ground, indicating that it was planning on goring Mari with its massive horns. Before it could build up speed, however, the violet demon again shrieked in pain as it turned around and saw that Cyrus had pinned its tail to the ground with his scythe's blade.

"Hey, prick," Cyrus said menacingly. "Did I say I was finished with you? You killed one of my teammates and were about to kill another, and Rule Number 9 says 'When something threatens your ally, don't get mad. Don't get even. Get ahead.'"

The behemoth apparently wasn't fond of Cyrus's rules as it turned around and lunged at Cyrus with fangs and horns. Cyrus quickly removed his scythe from the behemoth's tail, but was unable to dodge the behemoth's charge. The monster's right horn dug deep into Cyrus's right shoulder as it picked up the scythe warrior and tossed him around like a rag doll. Eventually, the behemoth released Cyrus and sent him flying towards a wall opposite of where it had tossed Rizo.

Unfortunately for Cyrus, his landing place happened to be a window.

As his body met and shattered glass, Cyrus felt the shards tear into his already bloodied body. Before he started to freefall thirty feet to the ground below, Cyrus used every last ounce of his strength and drove Tempest's blade into the side of the research facility, halting his descent. The behemoth, sensing the proverbial blood in the water, leered over the edge and snarled at the dangling SeeD cadet. It raised its claw and was about to send Cyrus plummeting had Rizo not interrupted by regaining consciousness and shouting:

"Yo, freak! Over here!"

The behemoth turned to see Rizo standing on spaghetti legs as dark energy started swirling around him. "A piece of advice, jackass. Next time you hit me…make sure it kills me! DIABLOS! SEND THIS PIECE OF SHIT TO HYNE!"

The dark energy coalesced into a sphere as Diablos oozed out of it. The Dark Messenger then raised his hand and telepathically brought the orb crashing down on the behemoth. The behemoth roared as it tried to escape the gravity sphere, but it was to no avail. The spatial energy twisted and contorted its prey, and as it dissipated the behemoth fell to the ground, seemingly dead. Diablos vanished in a flurry of bats as Rizo staggered over to Mari.

"You all right?" Rizo asked the female cadet. Mari nodded nervously as Rizo continued, "Cool. We better…"

Before Rizo could finish his sentence, the behemoth roared back to life and stood up. Rizo didn't even have time to react as the behemoth lunged at the swordsman and wrapped its jaws around his leg. Rizo yelped in pain as the behemoth started thrashing its new chew toy. Mari tried to shoot, but was knocked down by the behemoth's massive claw. The behemoth continued violently shaking its head, digging its teeth deeper and deeper into Rizo's leg. In a few more seconds, that leg would no longer belong to Rizo…

"No…"

The behemoth dropped Rizo and turned towards the source of the voice. Its owner was none other than Cyrus, who had somehow managed to pull himself back up into the building. Blood still poured out of the hole in his shoulder as he held his scythe tightly with his left hand.

"No more," Cyrus said in an eerie tone. "I'm not letting you hurt my teammates anymore. I don't care if I have to kill myself to do it. One way or another…YOU ARE GOING TO FALL!!!"

The behemoth, now fully enraged, planted itself as its eyes glowed. In mere seconds, the violet demon had conjured a Flare spell and attacked Cyrus with it. The insanely-powerful spell was a series of fiery detonations that continued to explode and intensify until the spell itself extinguished itself in one final burst. Rizo and Mari looked on in fear as the Flare spell seemingly turned their leader into ash. The behemoth seemed to smirk a little as it turned its attention back to its two other victims.

Whatever the behemoth was thinking about doing, it ended up being its last thought as a slash too quick to be seen drove a blade deep into its throat, tearing flesh and arteries and killing the beast instantly. As its body fell hard onto the floor, Rizo and Mari stood in awe as Cyrus stood tall, Tempest dripping in behemoth blood.

"Holy hell," Rizo managed to blurt out as he tried to ignore the pain in his leg. Mari said nothing as she gingerly walked over to Cyrus.

"Think you can patch us up?" Cyrus said weakly as Mari nodded. "Good. Because I think I'm at my limit…"

Cyrus's voice trailed off as he lost consciousness and fell to the floor alongside the behemoth. Mari silently went to work patching Cyrus up as Rizo started to weakly laugh his trademark cackle.

"I'll be damned," Rizo commented as he started using his stocked curative magic to fix his mangled leg. "I don't know how he survived that Flare, but he did. As much as I hate to give the bastard props…"

Rizo stopped himself before saying anything complementary of Squad C's team leader. _"What's the point?" _he thought with a smile. _"Sooner or later, he and I are gonna fight again…and I will beat him and prove I'm the best. So rest up and try not to die, Cy…_

"…_because you and I have unfinished business."_

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The SeeD contract deadline came and went as all SeeD candidate squads were extracted from their respective districts and brought back to the SeeD harbor. Most of the squads suffered light injuries from their battles with the Lunar Cry monsters, and Squad D showed up untouched. It was soon discovered that Squad D had run in fear after encountering their first group of monsters and waited out the entire exam in an abandoned pet store.

Squad A, on the other hand, looked like they had gone through hell. But one look at Kyra's wicked smile told the whole story: Squad A came, they saw, they dominated.

However, everyone's attention was to Squad C as Cyrus, Rizo, and Mari stumbled over to the GMVs, looking like the living dead and short one team member. Cyrus and Rizo, as a matter of necessity, were using one another for support as they shambled over to an Esthar officer. Cyrus handed him the datapad and said with venom in his voice:

"Here. Data from District 44's central research facility. My teammate's death paid for that data, so I hope it was worth it."

The Esthar officer's facial expression was hidden by his uniform's mask, but he was noticeably uneasy as he saluted Cyrus and quickly walked away. Once he was out of sight, Quistis ran over and demanded to know what had happened.

Cyrus sighed and sadly answered, "Where do I start…?"

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**So that's the behemoth fight. I hope you all enjoyed it. If so, let me know! If not, still let me know!**

**I've reached a very happy place with this story...the point where the reviews outnumber the chapters! This is great! Special thanks goes to BestInInfluence and Ally Todd for pushing the reviews over the top. You guys made my day and I hope you'll continue reading and reviewing!**

**I also need to give a shout-out to my man The Duelist of Dawn. He plugged my story "The Rise of the Repentant," and it's only fair that I return the favor! He's got a great self-insert called "Melodies of Life Chronicles" in the FFIX section. Do check it out, it's fan-freaking-tastic!**

**Guitar Hero? To hell with that! Be a Review Hero!**

**Thanks,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	11. Chapter 11

"Cyrus, can you hear me?"

The war-torn SeeD candidate awoke to find himself back in the Fire Cavern on the Balamb continent. He immediately realized that the wounds he suffered from the behemoth were not only healed, but nonexistent. Cyrus let slip a small smile as he said to himself:

"I'm dreaming, aren't I?"

"Yes," the deep, familiar voice of Ifrit replied as the Demon Lord of Flames emerged from the fire and flames and stood on the exposed rock that Cyrus found himself on. Cyrus immediately stood up and met Ifrit's stare with one of his own.

"Hello, Ifrit. So, this is the inside of my mind, huh? I would have thought it'd be more…hospitable."

"A mortal's psyche is shaped by their most powerful memories," Ifrit explained. "In your case, your fight with me in the Fire Cavern is one of your most poignant ones. Therefore…"

"Yeah, I think I get it," Cyrus interrupted. "So, I'm not dead at least. By the way, thanks for taking that Flare spell for me. I know it must've hurt like hell."

"It was nothing. After all, a Flare is nothing more than an over-glorified Firaga."

"Don't bullshit me, partner," Cyrus said in a chastising tone. "We're connected, remember? What you feel, I feel. Are you going to be all right?"

Ifrit grunted. "Given time, I will heal. But my injuries are nowhere as extensive as yours. Still, you and your team managed to not only challenge a behemoth but kill it. Most impressive."

"I guess."

"You guess?" Ifrit inquired.

Cyrus sighed. "One of my teammates died. Out of all the squads who took the exam, only mine suffered a casualty. It's not something I can take lightly."

"Nor should you. But that mortal girl's death was not your fault. It was her own fear and ignorance that led to her demise. Grieve, but do not let her death stop you from moving forward."

Cyrus nodded. "I won't. This exam has proven one thing to me: if I do make SeeD, I'm going to make sure that I become stronger…strong enough to protect my teammates from anything this world has to throw my way. Think I can pull it off, Ifrit?"

"Alone? No," Ifrit answered before adding, "but you are not alone. Remember what I told you when you first junctioned with me. Trust in me, and I will both lend and teach you the power to combat any foe and overcome any challenge. Do I still have your trust?"

Cyrus smirked as he nodded. "Absolutely. Let's both get stronger together…friend."

Ifrit's face betrayed a demonic smile as he replied, "Very well. In that case, I think it is time for you to awaken…"

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"_**Awaken…"**_

"Cyrus! Hey, nurse! He's opening his eyes!" the familiar voice of Kyra said as Cyrus woke up and returned to the land of the living. A quick glance at his surroundings told Cyrus that he was in a hospital room back at Balamb Town. Sitting in the chair to the left of the bed he was lying on was Taizen, still in his SeeD cadet uniform with Griffin's Heart lying across his lap. Standing to his right was Kyra, who for the first time that Cyrus could remember had a look of concern on her face.

"Hey, Kyra. Hey, Tai. What's up?" Cyrus said, his tone somewhat slurred due to the pain medications that dripped from his IV. Kyra's look of concern turned to one of annoyance as she lightly slapped the back of Cyrus's head.

"You idiot!" she screamed. "What in Hyne's name were you thinking taking on a behemoth? You nearly got yourself killed out there?"

"Aw," Cyrus cooed, "I didn't know you cared. Look, it was the behemoth's idea to pick a fight…all I did was make the choice to fight back."

"I heard one of your teammates died in the battle," Taizen said in a matter-of-factly tone.

Cyrus nodded sadly. "Yeah. Ano tried to run away and got herself killed. As team leader, her death's on my hands."

"Oh, don't give me that crap!" Kyra angrily retorted. "That dumb bitch's death was not your fault, so don't even go thinking it was! Besides, if it wasn't for you, you whole team would've gotten killed. You did everything right. Even the instructors think so."

"I have to agree," Taizen added. "Given the level of your enemy and the position you found yourself in, a lot more could've gone wrong than what did. Looking at it from an outsider's perspective, I'd say the reason for that is because of quality leadership."

Cyrus shook his head and started to laugh. However, his laughter was cut short due to the pain in his right shoulder. He rubbed the bandage that covered the gore hole as he finally said, "Thanks, guys. By the way, where's Rizo and Mari?

Kyra crossed her arms as she answered, "Well, that girl Mari headed back to Garden after we got back to town yesterday. No word from her, but I suppose for a quiet girl like her that's not such a bad thing.

"As for Rizo, that arrogant son of a bitch has been running his mouth as usual. He's going around claiming that he killed the behemoth single-handedly. Anyone with half a brain could tell he was full of it, but his groupies are just eating it up."

"Nothing out of the usual," Cyrus replied. "So, when are they announcing the cadets who graduate to SeeD?"

"Later this afternoon," Kyra said as Cyrus started to get out of bed. One of the on-duty nurses noticed this and insisted that Cyrus stay put.

"Listen, miss," Cyrus ordered, "My friends and I just went through hell for the chance to become SeeD. And no force of nature or act of Hyne is going to stop me from being at Garden when the Commander makes his selections. Now please, just get the hell out of my way."

The nurse looked annoyed, but seeing how determined Cyrus was to leave decided it would be easier for her if she just acquiesced to Cyrus's demands. She stepped aside as Kyra and Taizen helped their wounded friend make his way out of the hospital and towards a waiting Garden vehicle. After piling in, Taizen slid into the driver's seat, started the vehicle, and drove it out of town and back towards Garden.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After parking the vehicle and helping Cyrus get back to his room, Kyra and Taizen said their goodbyes as they headed for their own dorms to wait for the SeeD announcements over the intercom. Cyrus's roommate was for once actually in his room and greeted the scythe warrior. Cyrus returned the greeting before entering his own bedroom and putting on his spare SeeD cadet uniform. Once he had changed, he collapsed in a heap onto his bed. There he laid for what seemed like eternity, pondering if and when his name would be called.

Finally, after two hours of waiting, Administrator Xu's voice boomed over the Garden's loudspeakers:

"**The following participants in yesterday's SeeD field exam are to make their way up to the Commander's office for their official induction into SeeD: Kyra Vanguard, Taizen Kouken…"**

Cyrus smiled as he pressed his hand to his gore wound. _"Good job, guys."_

"**Rizo Malachi…"**

While Cyrus wasn't too crazy about the guy, even he had to admit that Rizo did an admirable job out in the field in spite of a little insubordination. He may have weaseled his way into getting Diablos for a GF, but he certainly earned his SeeD rank.

"**Mari Yanma…"**

This came as a bit of a surprise to Cyrus, but he couldn't have been happier for his former teammate. Mari wasn't much for combat, but her deductive reasoning skills would make her an excellent support operative, something every good SeeD team needs.

"**And finally, Cyrus Ranto. To all the participants whose names I didn't call, I wish you the best of luck on the next exam. That is all."**

"Hey, man!" Cyrus's roommate shouted. "Totally awesome! You made it, bro!"

"Yeah," Cyrus said, almost in a state of shock. "I did make it, didn't I? I'm a full-fledged member of SeeD…"

"Groovy! But I guess this means we won't be roommates anymore. Well, it's been fun, man! Good luck and all that."

"Thanks," Cyrus said almost to himself as he gingerly made his way out of his dorm room and into Garden's main atrium. He took a minute to fully absorb what was about to transpire in the next few minutes, and for the first time in days Cyrus breathed a sigh of relief.

"_I made it, Dad. I'm a SeeD."_

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**Author's Notes:**

**Cursed insomnia! I couldn't sleep, so I figured I'd knock this chapter out and hope that my sleep deprivation didn't translate into sucky writing. Make sure to let me know if it does, all right?**

**Wow...so many people to thank, so many digital cookies to hand out. Well, special thanks to Ally Todd for his amazingly long and info-packed review of the last chapter, and to BestInInfluence for taking the time to read and review every chapter of this story (check out his stories by the way). Also want to thank the Duelist of Dawn for reading and reviewing my first story "The Rise of the Repentant." Thank you all...thank you so very much. You like me, you really like me!!!**

**Next time: the SeeD ranks are passed out and the party begins!**

**Not sure if it'll help me sleep, but leave me a review anyway! After all, it couldn't hurt!**

**Thanks again,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	12. Chapter 12

"Congratulations, all of you."

The five cadets who had graduated to full SeeD stood at attention in front of Commander Leonhart in his third floor office. To his right was Administrator Xu, the woman responsible for handling Balamb Garden's day-to-day internal operations. To his left was Headmaster Cid Kramer, the man who founded Garden and ran the military academy for years before Commander Leonhart was hand-picked as Garden's new leader. Nowadays, Headmaster Cid focused more on maintaining the relationships with Trabia and Galbadia Gardens as well as serve as Garden's ambassador.

Cyrus was standing in the center of the SeeD cadet line, flanked on either side by Kyra and Taizen. Despite his shoulder still throbbing with pain, Cyrus stood up straight with his arms crossed behind him, mimicking his fellow graduates. Commander Leonhart cleared his throat and continued,

"As of today, you five are now members of SeeD. From here on out, you will be deployed across the world as various nations and factions hire us to complete missions and deal with issues that normal militaries can't. Remember your training and complete your assignments with efficiency and professionalism."

"Keep in mind that as SeeDs, you now represent the very cream of the crop," Administrator Xu chimed in. "As representatives of Balamb Garden, the prestige and honor of Garden rests squarely on your shoulders."

Headmaster Cid then spoke up, "SeeD Special Forces carry a great responsibility to the world. Yes, you are mercenaries by trade, but SeeD's purpose is and always will be the preservation of innocent lives. The time may come again that the world needs SeeD and Garden to come to its aid…and if and when that happens, SeeD will answer the call."

All the SeeD cadets saluted as Headmaster Cid handed out the SeeD Rank Reports. The older man handed out the reports and took a few seconds to whisper something in each cadet's ear. When it was Cyrus's turn, he took the report in his left hand and shook the headmaster's hand with his right as Cid whispered, "I know it was hard to lose someone today, but I think you'll make a great leader someday."

Cyrus nodded and whispered, "Thank you, sir," as Cid continued down the line. Once all the reports had been handed out, Commander Leonhart and Administrator Xu saluted the new SeeDs as the five graduates returned the gesture before turning around and filing out.

Once they were outside of the Commander's office, the five former cadets opened their reports up to see how they were ranked. The first to see his rank was Rizo, who apparently wasn't pleased with his results.

"Aw, what the hell? Rank 5? And it says that 'shows remarkable combat abilities, but has issues with authority and possesses a generally disruptive attitude.' What a load of crap! Well, guess that just means I gotta prove the Commander wrong…"

"All right!" Kyra shouted. "Rank 7! How about you, Tai?"

"…8," Taizen simply replied.

"Sweet! Way to go!" Kyra said with a grin. She then turned to Mari and asked, "So, how'd you do, quiet girl?"

Mari meekly replied, "Um, it says Rank 5. I guess that's because I really stink at fighting."

"Don't let it bother you, Mari," Cyrus said. "With your brains, you'll probably be Rank 20 in two months."

Rizo cackled at Cyrus's praise of Mari. "The day she becomes Rank 20 is the day I take over as Garden Commander! So, how'd you do, Cy?"

Cyrus ignored the condescending way Rizo shortened his name as he took his first look at his SeeD report. He quickly perused the scores and comments as he searched for his rank:

_**Conduct: 70**_

_**Judgment: 70**_

_**Attack: 80**_

_**Spirit: 100**_

_**Attitude: 60**_

_**Comments: Cyrus Ranto possesses incredible leadership and combat abilities, as well as possessing near-instantaneous assessment skills. Despite facing a high-level monster along with the death of one of his teammates, he was able to overcome the obstacle and keep the rest of his team alive. Cyrus does take setbacks very hard and is somewhat unconventional in how he addresses those under his command, but he has proven that he has the ability to complete his tasks no matter what stands in his way.**_

_**SeeD Rank: 10**_

"No freaking way!" Rizo and Kyra shouted almost simultaneously.

"Rank 10," Taizen calmly remarked. "Very impressive. Few on these exams ever rank higher than 8. Congratulations, Cyrus."

"Thanks," Cyrus said as his shoulder continued to throb. He clenched it with his left hand as he turned to Kyra and said, "Listen, I…"

Kyra walked up to the scythe warrior and sucker punched him in the stomach. As Cyrus doubled over, Kyra simply said with a smile, "I'll be damned! Nice work, Cyrus! But don't think for one second that I'm not going to catch up to you. Hell, I'm planning on surpassing you the first chance I get. Got it, prick?"

Despite the pain in both his gut and shoulder, Cyrus had to laugh. "Wouldn't have it any other way, Kyra. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go see Doctor Kadowaki. My shoulder hurts like hell."

Kyra nodded as Cyrus stood up straight and gave his fellow SeeDs a congratulatory salute, one that all but Rizo returned. After saluting, Cyrus turned and walked over to the elevator and pressed the down button. Before the doors closed, he took one final glance over at Rizo, who had a look of pure disdain on his face. Cyrus simply ignored it as the elevator doors sealed shut.

"Better luck next time, Rizo," Cyrus said under his breath as the elevator began its descent.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After some much-needed time in the Infirmary and a pair of Cure spells, Cyrus's shoulder finally was starting to feel normal again. The wound left a scar that neither medicine nor magic could heal, but the pain was gone and the scythe-wielding SeeD's shoulder had regained its former mobility and strength. Having finished his healing, Cyrus spent the rest of the afternoon in his room, helping some of the junior classmen pack up his belongings and move them to his new room: a large, spacious living space with all the comforts of home and no roommate that Cyrus had to share it with. Once he was completely settled, Cyrus took a nice long shower as the hot water washed away all of his aches and pains. Once finished and dressed in a pair of boxers and a black T-shirt, he went to his new bedroom and admired the SeeD uniform that now hung in his closet.

Cyrus could already tell that this uniform was superior in every way to the cadet uniform. Soft black cloth made up the majority of the SeeD uniform as the cuffs and seams were lined with gold and maroon-colored lines. The shoulders were especially accentuated with ceremonial silver-colored shoulder guards connected to the rest of the outfit by a center strap and a belt. Cyrus could tell right away that, if needed, fighting in this uniform would be much more comfortable than doing the same in his old cadet uniform.

A few hours later, Cyrus emerged from his new room, fully decked-out in his SeeD uniform. The new SeeD walked proudly to the Quad, where the SeeD inauguration ball was being held. Several minutes of walking later, and Cyrus found himself in the middle of the most extravagant party he had ever been to.

Hundreds of SeeDs and various other guests were everywhere, chatting and drinking and dancing. The band was playing a medley of classical waltzes as SeeDs followed the music almost perfectly on the dance floor. Cyrus's smile grew wider as he made his way to the bar for champagne.

He dodged his way through the crowd before bumping into a beautiful raven-haired woman wearing a very elegant white dress. Cyrus quickly started to apologize before he realized who he had just run into.

"Counselor Heartilly," Cyrus said, almost in shock. Counselor Rinoa Heartilly, the wife of Commander Leonhart, was one of the first people that Cyrus had been introduced to when he first arrived at Balamb Garden. She was the one who calmed the once-nervous Cyrus and made him feel welcome, and she was always there with a smile and friendly advice whenever a student or SeeD needed it. There were some in Garden that were a little leery of her due to her being a sorceress, but those that actually tried to do something about it all ended up answering to her "knight."

Cyrus went into full-blown apologetic mode as he blurted, "Counselor, I'm so sorry! Are you all right?"

"Relax, Cyrus. It was an honest mistake. Congratulations, by the way."

"Thank you, ma'am. It's a real honor. So, what brings you here?"

"The ball, of course!" Counselor Heartilly responded with a chuckle. "I've made it a tradition to dance with Squall at every one of these inauguration parties. After all, it was at his inauguration that we first met!"

"I see…" Cyrus started to say when he was interrupted by the sight of Commander Leonhart walking up and wrapping his arms around his wife's shoulders. He looked at Cyrus with a serious face and asked, "Is something wrong, Ranto?"

"No sir!" Cyrus said as he saluted. "Just catching up with Counselor Heartilly."

"Oh, Squall," Counselor Heartilly said with a huff, "You're intimidating the poor guy. Would it kill you to relax for once?"

"Whatever."

"Don't 'whatever' me! Wow, four years of marriage and you still can't loosen up…"

"Um, I hate to interrupt, but I think one of my friends is waving at me. If you'd excuse me..."

Cyrus quickly left the couple as he made his way to the bar. Despite their bickering, Cyrus knew full well that they loved each other deeply and always had one another's back. This was proven when, seconds later, Commader Leonhart locked lips with Counselor Heartilly and led her onto the dance floor. Cyrus smiled and shook his head as he ordered a glass of champagne.

"Nice to see you made it," a familiar voice shouted over the crowds. Cyrus turned in the direction of the voice as Kyra pushed past the other partygoers on her way to the bar. Like Cyrus, she too was decked out in her SeeD uniform. Much like the female cadet uniform, Kyra's outfit also came with a skirt…albeit a longer and more elegant one. She also wore a maroon tie and the SeeD emblem on the tie's knot. To Cyrus's surprise, Kyra had her long red hair done up in a very elegant bun, giving the normally-crazy fighter a somewhat alluring look.

"_Whoa..." _Cyrus thought as he said, "Kyra, you're looking great tonight."

"And I don't normally?" Kyra sarcastically replied.

"No comment," Cyrus simply answered with a smirk. Kyra laughed at that as she ordered and received her own glass of champagne.

The two SeeDs then held up their glasses as Cyrus said, "Here's to a couple of maniacs who are living the dream."

"I'll drink to that," Kyra said as she and Cyrus clinked glasses and drank down their champagne. The bartender got them a refill as the two started talking.

"So, where's the rest of our graduating class?" Cyrus asked in between sips.

"Rizo's over in the corner sulking with some of his groupies. That arrogant bastard's so full of himself that I'm surprised he hasn't already exploded and spewed his ego all over Garden. Both Taizen and Mari are talking with their parents. Apparently, both of them are originally from Esthar. Weird coincidence, huh?"

"A little, I guess," Cyrus replied. "Speaking of parents, where are yours?"

Kyra shrugged. "Beats me. I never knew my parents. I grew up with foster parents in Dollet. They were a fairly well-off couple and nice enough, but they had their own ideas on how I should live my life. And big surprise: they didn't think it was 'ladylike' to become a mercenary or learn how to fight. So I ran away from home and enrolled in Garden."

"Wow. Sorry, Kyra."

"For what? It was the best decision I ever made. But enough about me, what about you? Where are your folks?"

Cyrus took a deep breath as he explained, "Well, my mother died giving birth to me. My father raised me as best he could, but his job keeps him pretty busy."

"What is his job?"

"He's one of the Galbadian Army's lead engineers. He either designed or had a hand in developing most of the G-Army's robotic assault weapons. The GIM series battle droids, the X-ATM092, the Iron Clod…those were all his doing. Galbadia hired him back during the First Sorceress War to help design weapons to level the playing field against Esthar. And he did…"

"Wow. Impressive. So your dad's a scientist or something like that?"

Cyrus shook his head. "He may be an engineer, but he's also one hell of a fighter. Especially with a spear. In his free time, he'd teach me what he knew about using a staff in combat, along with a few engineering and chemistry tips. It's not what I'd call a traditional father-son relationship, but I did learn a lot from Dad. When I told him I wanted to attend Garden, he gave me the go-ahead…no questions asked."

"He sounds like a pretty cool guy," Kyra admitted. "So, is he here tonight?"

"I doubt it. He and I haven't talked a whole lot since I came to Garden. You know, my studies and his work. But I'd like to think I've made him proud."

"Why wouldn't he be?" Kyra asked. She then had an idea. "Hey, let's dance!"

"Say what now?" Cyrus said, almost choking on his champagne.

"Dance…you know, go out there and move with the music? I know you know how to dance since it's part of the curriculum."

"I skipped that class."

"Then I'm just going to have to teach you, aren't I? Now get off your ass and dance with me!" Kyra said as she grabbed a hold of Cyrus's wrist with a vice-like grip. Cyrus, unable to escape, finally relented and let Kyra lead him out to the dance floor. Despite what he had told Kyra earlier, he didn't skip his Ballroom Dancing class. With that in mind, he grabbed Kyra's right hand with his own and wrapped his left arm around her waist as the band started playing another waltz.

"So why are we doing this?" Cyrus whispered in Kyra's ear.

"Talking about the past is so overrated," Kyra whispered back. "Let's just enjoy tonight and look forward to the future. After all, we are SeeDs now. The whole world's just been opened up to us, and we're going to experience lots of new and exciting happenings and do things we'd never would've done had we never come to Garden. So, let's stop reminiscing and just enjoy the ride. All right?"

Cyrus was taken aback by Kyra's insightfulness, but he did agree with her. Being SeeDs was going to provide them with a lot of new memories and experiences, so why dwell on the past?

Cyrus smiled as he twirled Kyra away and back to him. "Whatever the lady wants."

"Keep that crap up and I'll break your neck," Kyra said half-threateningly, half-jokingly. Cyrus laughed anyway as the two continued to dance. Once the song was finished, the two of them looked up to admire the fireworks.

Cyrus was about to say something to Kyra when his attention was diverted toward the ballroom's balcony. There, standing out there and staring into the night, was a familiar figure wearing a white robe…

"You see that, Kyra?" Cyrus asked, his jaw clenched tightly.

"Yeah," Kyra replied with low snarl.

"Find Instructor Trepe or the Commander. I'm going to get some answers from our phantom."

Kyra nodded in acknowledgement. "Feel free to kick his ass for me."

Cyrus smirked as Kyra quickly left the dance floor. Cyrus's smirk was soon replaced by a determined frown as he walked with a purpose towards the balcony. Whoever this creep in white was, he had the nerve to crash the SeeD inauguration. And Cyrus was damn sure going to make sure that this party-crasher wasn't leaving without clearing some things up.

Deep in his mind, however, Ifrit was sensing some sort of strange energy coming from this man in white. He didn't recognize it as any energy belonging to one of his GF brethren, but it felt vaguely familiar.

"_**Who is this mortal?" **_Ifrit thought to himself as his summoner moved to confront this "phantom" face-to-face…

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**Author's Notes:**

**BestInInfluence...you continue to rock! Thanks for the continuing reviews, I appreciate it!**

**Nice long chapter (at least by my standards) with some character development and foreshadowing. Chapter 13 will feature the "man in white" and we'll get a glimpse of what he was blabbing about back in the forest with the caterchipillars. Cool?**

**By the way, with the crazy hours I'm working at my new job, my uploads are going to be a little less frequent. However, I will do my best to upload one to two new chapters every week. Hope my fans understand (of course they will, they're awesome!).**

**The quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach. The quickest way to an Exile's heart? A honest review (or a knife, but I wouldn't recommend it).**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	13. Chapter 13

As Cyrus approached the balcony, he cracked his knuckles loud enough to get the man in the white robe's attention. Sure enough, the sound compelled the party crasher to turn around and face the very angry SeeD. He said with a blank look, "I've been expecting you, young warrior."

"I'm sure," Cyrus angrily stated. "And did you expect that I'd want to pummel your sorry ass when I saw you again?"

"For what reason? As I told you when we first met, I walk the path of peace."

"And as I told you when we first met, I don't believe a word you're saying. Now tell me who you are or you're going to be leaving the party from this balcony…the quick and painful way."

The man removed his hood to reveal a bald head and a face littered with scars. His eyes glowed yellow in the night as he answered, "I am Ezerath, disciple of Vascaroon and the Great Hyne. On behalf of my order, I extend greetings."

Cyrus's face showed a mix of anger and confusion. "Vascaroon? Hyne? What in hell's name are you talking about? And what about the forest? Did you screw with those caterchipillars?"

The man called Ezerath shook his head. "What would it matter if I did? You and your companions survived and became SeeDs. Why are you so concerned about things that do not matter?"

Cyrus was beginning to lose his patience. He grabbed Ezerath's cloak in his hand and dragged the man to within inches of his face. "Listen here, you wacko. I decide what is important. Not you, not the world, not even Hyne herself. Now answer me! Why did you use those caterchipillars to attack us?!"

The ever-stoic face of Ezerath never changed as he calmly explained, "Foolish child. No mortal is strong enough to challenge the will of the gods. All began with the Great Hyne, and all will end according to her desire. It is to do her bidding that my order was created…the Seraphim Society."

"_Ifrit, can you make any sense out of this babble?" _Cyrus asked internally as he continued to hold onto Ezerath.

"_**I am afraid I cannot. But Cyrus, this mortal…there is something not right about him."**_

"_What do you mean?"_

"Your guardian is referring to the power I wield," Ezerath answered.

Shocked, Cyrus dropped Ezerath without even thinking. "What the…how did you know what I was thinking?"

"It is the power of the Great Hyne and the Seraphim Society. The strength your guardian grants you is nothing but a nuisance to a member of my order."

Cyrus's confusion was once again replaced with anger. "Bullshit! The only people who are 'blessed' with the power of Hyne are sorceresses. And unless one of the requirements for being members of your order is to be completely androgynous, you're no woman…and therefore not a sorceress."

"You are blind, young warrior," Ezerath chided. "The power of the sorceresses is only half of the Great Hyne's immense power. Tell me, what do you know of the other half?"

Cyrus was about to lose what little remained of his temper as Commander Leonhart, Counselor Heartilly, and Kyra finally showed up on the balcony. The Commander placed his hand on Cyrus's shoulder and pushed him gently out of the way as he confronted Ezerath.

"Who are you?" the Commander simply asked.

Ezerath scoffed as he turned his attention to Counselor Heartilly. "Sorceress Rinoa Heartilly. On behalf of the Seraphim Society, it is an honor to make your acquaintance. My order extends its greetings, daughter of Hyne."

Counselor Heartilly began to look uncomfortable as Commander Leonhart stiffened up his stance. "What do you want?"

"Only to serve Hyne and prepare for her return," Ezerath answered. "I only ask for the assistance of the sorceress to aid our order in doing just that. That is why I am here."

"Sorry, but I'm not interested. So feel free to leave," Counselor Heartilly finally spoke up as Commander Leonhart wrapped his arm around her.

"Commander!" Cyrus shouted as he saluted. "Permission to escort this…gentleman from Garden?"

Commander Leonhart nodded ever so slightly. "Permission granted."

Cyrus quickly went to grab Ezerath again as Kyra backed him up. Ezerath, however, lifted his right arm and conjured up a Blizzard spell. Cyrus, unable to defend himself, felt the flying ice block hit him squarely in the chest and shatter as he flew into Kyra and fell to the ground with her on top of him.

"What the…how did he use magic?" Kyra asked as she and Cyrus got back to their feet. Ezerath didn't answer as he pulled something from his cloak and threw it to the ground. Whatever the object was, it exploded in a blinding flash. Once the flash was gone, the three SeeDs and sorceress immediately realized that Ezerath had disappeared.

"Damn," the Commander swore as he reached into his pockets for a comlink. "Zell, Quistis. We have an intruder in Garden wearing a white robe and possessing magical abilities. Get some SeeDs and seal off the exits. If he's still here, I want him caught and detained. Squall out."

The Commander put the comlink back into his pocket as he went to check on his wife. He then turned to Cyrus and said, "Ranto, I want you and Miss Vanguard to meet me in my office at 0700 tomorrow morning. Whatever that man told you, I want to know. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Cyrus responded as Commander Leonhart and Counselor Heartilly left the balcony…no doubt to sort out their own thoughts out about what had just transpired and come up with a story to ask the now-jittery partygoers. Once they were out of earshot, Kyra turned to Cyrus and asked, "Well, what did that creep say to you?"

"Honestly? I don't really know. But something tells me that whatever this prick's obsession with us and Counselor Heartilly is all about, it's going to mean trouble."

Kyra nodded knowingly as Cyrus turned around and looked up at the night sky. Many things were on his mind, but none was at the forefront save for one thing Ezerath told him:

"_No mortal is strong enough to challenge the will of the gods…"_

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Fifteen minutes past 0700 hours, Cyrus was completing his report on last night's confrontation with Ezerath. Commander Leonhart, Administrator Xu, and Instructors Dincht and Trepe listened closely as Cyrus told them everything that was said and done before the Commander appeared and Ezerath disappeared. Finally, once Cyrus was finished, Administrator Xu spoke up:

"So, this Ezerath guy not only was able to read your mind, but use magic? That's a little farfetched…"

"How is that so hard to believe, Xu?" Quistis retorted. "With GFs, humans can do amazing things…things that normal people would say is impossible."

"True, Instructor," Cyrus interrupted. "But from what Ifrit has told me, he isn't so sure that Ezerath was junctioned. He said he could feel some energy coming from our guest, but Ifrit couldn't recognize it as belonging to any GF he'd been in contact with."

"Well, maybe it's a GF that hasn't been discovered yet? That would explain why Ifrit didn't recognize that creep's energy," Zell suggested.

"Maybe…" Commander Leonhart said as he leaned on his desk, deep in thought. "In any event, I want a SeeD recon team to track down this 'Ezerath' and find out more about the Seraphim Society. Until then, I want this meeting and what we discussed to remain confidential. I don't want this incident reaching the ears of the students and causing panic. All right?"

Everyone present nodded save for Cyrus and Kyra who saluted. Commander Leonhart stood up and continued, "In the meantime…Ranto! Are you healed enough for a mission?"

"Yes sir! I'm operating at 100%. What's the mission?"

The Commander shook his head as he explained, "Hold on. Before I give you this mission, I want you to pick two other SeeDs to join you. This contract asked for a three-man team, and I'm curious to see who you choose to bring with you."

"That's easy, sir," Cyrus replied. "Kyra Vanguard and Taizen Kouken."

"A team of three rookies? Are you sure?" Quistis asked.

Cyrus nodded. "Taizen's not only the strongest guy I know, but one of the smartest. He's got a level head and he knows a lot of information that I know would be useful on any mission you send us out on. And Kyra's the toughest and most determined person I know…but more importantly than that, I trust her to watch my back. The three of us are already a team, and have worked together well in the past. I trust them with my life as they trust me with theirs. That's why I want them on my team."

Kyra slyly smiled as Commander Leonhart stared at the outspoken SeeD. He then nodded and said, "Acceptable. You and your team are to meet me here at 0900 tomorrow morning for the mission briefing. I suggest you get your supplies and traveling clothes in order. Dismissed."

"Sir!" both Kyra and Cyrus shouted with a salute as the two of them turned around and made their way to the elevator. As they were taking it down, Kyra nudged Cyrus and said with a grin:

"Our first SeeD mission…how sweet is this?"

Cyrus nodded. Whatever worries he had about Ezerath and the Seraphim Society were erased by the pride he felt about his upcoming mission. He was a SeeD now, and he was going to make sure that his first mission was going to be a success.

"Kyra," Cyrus said with his trademark smirk. "Let's go get Taizen and get our gear. Tomorrow we go out and get to make some memories!"

"Damn straight!" Kyra said as she and Cyrus high-fived.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Thanks again to BestInInfluence and Ally Todd for their reviews! And for the record, I don't care about review length. Just so long as you review and let me know what I miss and what I knock out of the ballpark, it's all good! All I want is to write good stories and improve my skills as a writer and storyteller, and any feedback is greatly appreciated.**

**Also, I was wondering if any of my readers have any skills in drawing. I'd like to update my profile with a more appropriate picture, and the Grim Reaper's kinda pissed I've been using his image without his express written consent. Just something to mull over!**

**Oh, and a super-special apology for a misunderstanding in one of the reviews I did for Katherine the Black Rose's stories "The Lionheart REVISED." Do feel free to check out her story, it's pretty awesome!**

**Coming up in Chapter 14: The mission is explained and our trio of SeeDs leave for adventure.**

**Never underestimate the power of the written word. It has the power to crumble societies and unite peoples...to raise spirits and crush morale. The written word has built nations, set people free, and brought about wisdom and understanding to the ignorant masses. **

**So use your power wisely and review!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	14. Chapter 14

"All right, soldiers. Listen up."

Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen stood at ease in their regular outfits as Commander Leonhart stood in front of them and pointed to a large plasma screen in his office. The plasma screen came to life as it displayed a familiar photo.

"This is President Fury Caraway, current president of Galbadia," Commander Leonhart explained. "As I'm sure you're aware, he was elected president after the Second Sorceress War ended to fill the void created by the demise of Vinzer Deling. He's currently in his second term and has helped reestablish order within Galbadia. President Caraway has maintained open…if not tenuous relations with the Garden Alliance and has called on SeeD support in the past. That brings me to your mission."

Another image popped up on the screen, showing a group of Galbadian soldiers, albeit wearing slipshod uniforms and not wearing the traditional headgear. "These are members of a resistance group called the Caladbolg Militia. They've been against President Caraway's rule from day one. Their reasons are numerous, but their primary argument has to do with Caraway's role in the attempted assassination of Sorceress Ultimecia."

"_Actually, they were trying to kill Sorceress Edea," _Cyrus thought but didn't say. He knew full well that it was really Ultimecia who was pulling the strings, but no one knew it then…

"Caladbolg's mission is to overthrow the current regime and return Galbadia into a military state. It is their belief that since Galbadia came so close to conquering the world during the Second Sorceress War that is their right to continue the war and fulfill Deling's dream of global domination. Their leader, a man by the name of Umar Zekorev, was one of the top G-Army commanders during the war. He was dismissed by President Caraway and seems to continue to hold a grudge.

"Your mission is to meet with President Caraway in Deling City. He will then brief you on the location of several of Caladbolg's outposts. After which, you will be in charge of eliminating those outposts and reporting your status to Caraway. There is no deadline on this contract, but I would prefer you complete it as quickly as you can. Any questions?"

No one said anything as the Commander continued, "All right then. Cyrus Ranto, the team is yours to command. Use your best judgment and complete your mission like a professional…like a SeeD. Vanguard, Kouken…you're Ranto's support. I trust you know what that entails?"

"Yes, sir!" Kyra and Taizen shouted simultaneously.

"Very well. There's a train leaving Balamb Station in two hours, heading for Deling City. I suggest you get there early and stock up on items. You may want to see if you can upgrade your weapons as well. Dismissed…and good luck."

The three SeeDs saluted their commander as they left his office and headed down in the elevator. Once they reached the first floor, a SeeD cadet quickly approached them and said, "Commander Leonhart asked some of us cadets to get a vehicle ready for you to take to Balamb. It's fueled and waiting in the parking garage next to the dormitories."

"Thanks," Cyrus said as he and his teammates walked around the lobby towards the parking garage. The vehicle they were assigned was a standard Garden vehicle, green and yellow in color and with a swept-back look. Cyrus smiled as he and Kyra made their way into the passenger seats as Taizen took the wheel.

"All right," Cyrus said as Taizen started the engine and drove the vehicle out of Balamb Garden and onto Balamb's only major highway. "It'll take us fifteen minutes to get to Balamb, and the train leaves in two hours. Let's follow the Commander's advice and get our gear in order. We'll meet up at the train station ten minutes before departure. Sound good?"

"Works for me," Kyra stated as Taizen simply nodded. Cyrus smiled as he leaned back into his seat and relaxed. He didn't know what his friends would do in their free time, but he had an appointment with the junk shop.

Tempest had served Cyrus well, but now it was time for an upgrade…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

An hour and thirty minutes later, Kyra and Taizen had met up at Balamb's train depot, awaiting their team leader. Taizen had invested some of his new income on a new outfit. Instead of his traditional blue shirt and camouflage pants, he now wore a long-sleeved gray shirt, gray pants, and a formal-looking red vest and tie. His giant zweihander was now sheathed in black leather on his back, and he still wore his sunglasses and had his hair in its normal ponytail.

"Wow, Tai," Kyra commented as her teammate walked up to her. "What's with the fancy new clothes? Who are you trying to impress?"

"We are meeting the president of a nation, Kyra," Taizen explained. "It wouldn't kill you to look a little more professional when we meet President Caraway."

"You're saying I don't look professional?" Kyra asked, head tilted at an angle. "Let me tell you something, Tai…leather pants and overcoats never go out of style and are perfect for every occasion. And at least I'm ready for a battle. How in the hell do you expect to swing a sword in that outfit?"

Taizen shook his head in disappointment. "I had these clothes specially made so that I not only look professional, but can engage in combat as well. Don't judge a book by its cover, Kyra."

"Fine, fine! Whatever you say…it's just that, if I were you, I'd invest in something a little more…practical."

"Such as?"

Kyra smirked as she pulled out a pair of fifteen-inch daggers with black katana-styled hilts and guards from behind her back. The blue-steel blades curved slightly as Kyra twirled the daggers around on the palm of her hand. "They're called Demon Fangs. I traded my pistols and holsters for these and a pair of sheathes. I also ordered a new pair of combat gloves. They should be waiting for me in Deling City."

"Kyra…" Taizen started to say in a scolding tone.

Kyra interrupted him by explaining, "Look, I know what you told me back during the exam, but I really don't care. I'm going to prove I'm just as good a fighter as you or Cyrus, and there's not a damn thing you can say to make me change my mind."

Taizen wanted to say more, but he soon realized that it would be all for naught. Kyra was driven to prove something at the cost of logic and practicality, and was not about to take "no" for an answer. "Very well. Just try to be more careful. I can't be spending all my time healing your injuries."

"No problem," Kyra said with a nod and a smile. "So where is that prick Cyrus anyway? I'd have thought he would have beaten us here."

"I couldn't say," Taizen answered, "but he had a look of determination when we separated at the garage. Who knows what he could be…?"

Taizen voice trailed off as he saw the look of surprise in Kyra's face. Taizen turned around and saw Cyrus walk up with a brand new scythe. Whereas Tempest was a very common-looking weapon with a straight shaft and a simple curving blade, this new scythe curved gently at the bottom of its shaft and its blade was a bit thinner and had one small serration in the middle, making it look a little jagged and far more intimidating. The section of the scythe connecting the blade to the shaft was replaced with a thin square block bearing the effigy of Ifrit. The most noticeable difference was this weapon's fiery color scheme: a mixture of reds and yellows and oranges from bottom to top.

Cyrus showed off his new weapon with a series of quick slashes. With the crook in the scythe's shaft, he was able to pull off tighter, quicker, and more controlled swipes. He then shouldered his new weapon as he proudly said:

"Kyra, Taizen…let me introduce you to my new weapon: 'Inferno.' Now, try and tell me that this isn't cool."

"Holy crap," Kyra said as she ran up to Cyrus to get a closer look at Inferno. "Where did you get this? I didn't think any of the weapon smiths in this town did scythes."

"They don't. That's why I made this myself. Only took a couple mesmerize blades, bomb fragments, a handful of screws, and someone who was good with metalworking to make the shaft head. Tempest had been good to me, but it was little more than a training weapon. This…this is something else. You like?"

Kyra nodded with a gleam in her eye. "I like. When are we going to get to see that thing in action?"

"Cyrus, Kyra…I hate to interrupt, but the train's going to leave in the next seven minutes. I'd suggest we get on board," Taizen commented.

"Right, sorry Tai!" Cyrus shouted. He then turned to Kyra and said, "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunities to see me and Inferno in action. But for now, we've got a train to catch."

"All right, hotshot. But I'm going to hold you to that," Kyra said with a wink as she ran ahead into the train station, followed closely by Taizen. Cyrus chuckled as he looked up into the sky and took a moment to enjoy the sounds and smells of Balamb.

"_Well, no sense in wasting anymore time," _Cyrus said to himself. _"Can't keep the president waiting."_

With that, Cyrus attached his newly-forged weapon to the magnetic sheath on his back and walked towards the station, past the ticket counter, and into the special SeeD cabin where his team was waiting. A few minutes later, the train started up and departed for the underwater tunnel connecting Balamb and Timber.

Despite all that had happened, Cyrus's mind was at peace. He had his mission, and he was well on his way.

"_Nothing to worry about," _Cyrus thought as he decided to close his eyes and take a nap.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cyrus's dreaming was rudely interrupted by the train's unexpected stop. As he scrambled back to his feet, he grabbed Inferno and headed out towards the head of the train. There waiting for him were Kyra, Taizen, and the train's engineer. Cyrus shook out the remaining cranial cobwebs as he asked, "What in Ifrit's name is going on here? Why'd we stop?"

The engineer, who was a bit irritated, explained, "Well, we had just passed Timber and were heading for the canyons separating this continent's eastern and western sides. Then I see some signs popping up warning anybody traveling on this track to stop or 'suffer the consequences.' I didn't want to take any chances, so I stopped. And until someone tells me that the path is clear up ahead, I'm not going anywhere. So like I told your friends…sit down and shut up!"

Cyrus rolled his eyes as he turned to Taizen. "Any idea what those signs were referring to?"

"No," Taizen said with a shake of his head. "But we might be able to find out if we proceed on foot. Kyra and I are willing to do so, but it is still your decision."

"You leaving?" the engineer said as he started to cough violently. "You must be crazy! The canyon's around here are crawling with belhemels, blood souls, and those nutjob militia extremists! It's a deathtrap out there, and you kids can't possibly…"

"That's enough!" Cyrus ordered, forcing the engineer to back off a little. "We're not just some kids, you know. We're SeeDs, special forces. If you want to wait here and rot, that's your choice. As for me and my team, we're going to find out what the hell's going on around here. Kyra, Taizen…let's move out!"

"Hell yeah!" Kyra said as she followed Taizen out of the train engine and into the arid outdoors. Cyrus mockingly saluted the engineer as he too stepped outside. The air was dry and hot as Taizen pointed out further down the tracks.

"If I'm not mistaken, the point where the tracks cut into the mountains is up ahead. If we start now, we can be there before sundown."

"Works for me," Cyrus replied as he motioned for his team to follow him. It would be a long hike, but Cyrus knew that staying with the train wasn't going to get him any closer to Deling City. In spite of this delay, he had every intention of moving forward and discovering who or what had decided to try and hold their transportation back.

First, they would find the source of this particular problem; then, they would return to their mission. Cyrus reached to be sure that his new weapon was in its place as he started walking towards the west...

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Special, SPECIAL thanks to BestInInfluence, Ally Todd, and most recently my man The Duelist of Dawn! Way to rock the reviews, my friends!**

**So, we get new gear, a new look for Taizen, and a mysterious problem on the railroad (oh, the live-long days!). Stay tuned for Chapter 15 to see what our trio of intrepid SeeDs find out in the Galbadian canyons!**

**Oh, and if you haven't checked out my reviewers' stories yet, SHAME ON YOU!!! Seriously, give them a look, they're quite good.**

**You know what's stronger than a Falcon Punch or a Norris Roundhouse Kick? A review on the Exile's story. Go on, you know you want the power...**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	15. Chapter 15

An hour and a half of following the train tracks through the plains and fighting off the various monsters that were foolish enough to attack them, Cyrus and his friends finally made it to the giant plateaus separating Timber and Dollet from Galbadia and Winhill. There were only a few canyons that allowed for transport via locomotives, and this particular one was the southernmost canyon that led to the Dingo Desert. As such, although the SeeDs hadn't reached the desert yet, the surrounding area they did find themselves in was quite dry and arid.

"_Guess the only ones crazy enough to actually choose to be out here are those militia jack-offs," _Cyrus thought as the canyon loomed in the distance.

"_**Do not tell me the heat is bothering you, Cyrus," **_Ifrit said mockingly from inside Cyrus's mind.

"_Me? Nah, I'm fine. I'm more worried about Kyra. After all, she's junctioned to Shiva. And since junctioning with you makes me more resilient in hot climates, I can only imagine the opposite's true for her."_

"_**I would not worry," **_Ifrit reassured his summoner. _**"That mortal female is quite persistent, and I have yet to see Shiva quit because of a little discomfort. The two of them will persevere...trust me."**_

"_Good to know," _Cyrus mentally replied as he saw movement over at the canyon. He motioned for his teammates to stop with a wave of his hand as the trio hurried over to a series of nearby boulders.

"What's the matter, Cyrus?" Taizen asked.

"Something moved up ahead. Might just be the heat, but let's take a look with the binoculars just to be sure."

Taizen nodded as he reached inside the duffel bag he had brought with him from the train and pulled out a pair of high-end binoculars. He leaned out from their hiding place and scanned the area around the canyon thoroughly before setting down the binoculars and turning back to his teammates.

"What's going on, Tai?" Kyra asked as she grabbed a water bottle from the duffel bag.

"It seems our captain has either excellent vision or incredible instincts," Taizen replied as Cyrus scratched his head in embarrassment. "The bridge up ahead is being blocked off by the Caladbolg Militia. They have several secondhand Galbadian troop carriers and close to two dozen men stationed up there…no doubt to control traffic to-and-from the capital city."

"So it seems," Cyrus said as he grabbed Taizen's binoculars and took a look for himself. As he was looking, he continued to speak, "Well, that sucks eight ways to sunrise. With those assholes in the way, our engineer friend's not getting through any time soon."

"Hmph. If that old geezard had balls, he'd just run the train right into the blockade and force his way through. Bam! Problem solved," Kyra said with her trademark wicked grin.

"Not all problems can be solved with simple brute strength, Kyra," Taizen lectured. "More often than not, a proper strategy is the way to go."

"Well, to make you both happy, why not use both strength and strategy?" Cyrus suggested.

Kyra's eyes widened in anticipation. "You have a plan."

"Sort of," Cyrus admitted as he knelt down and motioned for his team to do the same. "It's not perfect, but we can't exactly waste too much time out here. So, this'll have to do. Here's what we're going to do…"

Cyrus started to draw a diagram in the sand as he explained his plan to Kyra and Taizen. Like Cyrus said before, the plan wasn't particularly groundbreaking, but it was simple and had an excellent chance of succeeding. As Kyra and Taizen nodded in agreement, Cyrus stood up and took a couple of seconds to collect his thoughts.

"_Caladbolg won't know what hit them," _Cyrus said with a smirk as his hands reached for Inferno…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The members of Caladbolg stationed at the canyon separating Timber and the Dingo Desert had been out there for what seemed like an eternity. When Colonel Zekorev had ordered them to block off this important train route between Timber and Deling City, the militiamen had no idea that they'd be stuck out there without any squads coming in to relieve them. Their food supplies were limited to whatever they had managed to bring with them and the occasional helping of anacondaur and geezard meat. For three days, these men in their throwaway Galbadian uniforms had stood by, stopping anyone from passing save for fellow Caladbolg soldiers.

Needless to say, it had been incredibly boring. The militiamen were running low on patience and had gotten lazy. Although they still halted any unwanted traffic, they had long neglected any semblance of training exercises or drills. However, the soldiers were not concerned; after all, their Colonel had kept Fury Caraway busy in other, more important combat theatres. Despite this train route's importance, it was still a low priority.

As such, the Caladbolg soldiers had taken things easy, keeping themselves entertained with Triple Triad and various other gambling pursuits. Some of the more dedicated recruits kept themselves busy maintaining the five stolen GIM47N units that Colonel Zekorev had requisitioned for the blockade. For the most part, though, the twenty-seven men waited in the heat until their Colonel decided to transfer them somewhere more hospitable…

Suddenly, the Caladbolg soldiers all noticed a slight change in the temperature. That slight change became more and more noticeable as a cold wind swept over the barricade and echoed throughout the canyon. The militiamen were confused as to the rapid weather change until they saw the source of the cold-snap…a familiar blue-skinned female emerging from the ground in an ice crystal just outside the barricade.

The Ice Maiden shattered her icicle prison as she raised her hand in the air. The Caladbolg militiamen scrambled for their Sabers as the Guardian Force gathered energy into her hand. She looked at the dumbfounded mortal with a smile as she said:

"Hello, men. This isn't your first time seeing a lovely lady before…is it?"

With that, Shiva brought her hand down in front of her and unleashed her Diamond Dust attack. The ice hit the front of the barricade, covering the purloined military vehicles and any nearby Caladbolg soldiers in its cold embrace. As the rest of the soldier finally got a hold of their weapons, those with guns aimed for Shiva and opened fire. The gorgeous Guardian Force conjured up a sheet of thick ice to act as a barrier between her and the gunfire. She shook her head in amusement at the mortal's feeble attempts to injure her as she shouted, "Ifrit! It's your turn!"

On the right side of the canyon, a pillar of flames shot out horizontally as the Demon Lord of Flames burst free and hovered above the Caladbolg blockade. A slight grin formed on Ifrit's face as he summoned forth several bomb-sized fireballs. With one sweep of his hand, the fireballs rocketed down into the militia, destroying some troop transports, shelters, and sending a handful of soldiers off to the afterlife.

Ifrit's attack, as it turned out, was the signal for Quezacoatl to come flying in with the SeeD trio holding on to his back. As the Lightning Spirit swooped in, he used his wings to slow its descent and land gently. As Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen jumped down, Taizen spoke to his GF.

"Quezacoatl, thank you as always. Would you watch the other end of the canyon and make sure no Caladbolg soldiers escape?"

"Of course," the noble GF replied as it flapped its wings and ascended back to the skies. Cyrus took Inferno in his hands and turned to his teammates.

"All right. Our GFs did what they could to soften these pricks up for us. Let's get in there and clear out the rest of this blockade. Keep an eye on one another and watch each other's backs. Got it?"

Both Kyra and Taizen nodded as Cyrus smiled. "Good. Let's show these Caladbolg rejects that they picked the wrong canyon to block up and the wrong train to delay!"

"Oh, hell yeah!" Kyra shouted as all three SeeDs leapt into the fray and confronted several soldiers with Sabers. Kyra had unsheathed her new daggers and used them to parry the Caladbolg soldiers' sword blows and strike quickly with slashes and thrusts to their throats and guts. Kyra had gotten into her combat comfort zone as her fist connected with and shattered the skull of an unfortunate militiaman. The newly-killed rebel fell hard as Kyra faced a new pair of soldiers.

As for Taizen, his new outfit didn't seem to restrict his ability to fight in any way as he swung Griffin's Heart into a trio of Caladbolg soldiers. When the heavy zweihander connected with the smaller Sabers, it completely ran through then, shattering the lesser blades. As Taizen completed his swing and brought Griffin's Heart to a rest on his shoulder, the Caladbolg soldiers decided that discretion was the better part of valor and turned tail. Taizen suppressed an amused grin as he moved forward to find new opponents.

Cyrus, for his part, was in a constant state of motion as he and his new scythe cut swaths through the Caladbolg lines. Troops left and right fell to Inferno as Cyrus pressed on. His advance, however, was halted as he came face-to-face with a pair of GIM47N combat machines.

"Damn it, Dad," Cyrus swore as the GIMs opened fire with their mouth-mounted chain guns. Cyrus, almost as if it was a reflex, cast a Protect spell around him to halt the gunfire. As the bullets hammered into the magical shield, Cyrus grabbed two acid vials from his vest and tossed them into the face of the nearest GIM. The acid immediately started to dissolve the robot's heavy yellow armor as Cyrus quickly moved in with Inferno held high. The SeeD then drove his scythe down hard, piercing the mech's "head" and ripping apart important circuitry. The GIM sputtered as it shut down and fell backwards to the ground.

The second GIM saw its opportunity as Cyrus worked to remove Inferno's blade from its fallen comrade. The mech wound up its right arm and connected its heavy steel orb-like fist with Cyrus's stomach, sending the scythe fighter flying back six feet. Cyrus shrugged off the pain as he got back to his feet and dropped back into his battle stance.

"_Dad sure built these bastards tough," _Cyrus thought as his grip on Inferno tightened. He then started to grin as he thought, _"But I know these GIMs inside and out. You want to play, robot? Let's play."_

The GIM's "eyes" started to glow as Cyrus soon realized what was coming next. Sure enough, the mech attacked with its Snipe Laser, a small but powerful laser capable of piercing even heavy armor. Cyrus, however, used his quickness to dodge the Snipe Laser and rush the mech before it had a chance to recharge. Once he had gotten in close enough, Cyrus took Inferno and swung it to the right, driving it deep into the side of the GIM47N. He then smiled as electrical energy started to gather around his right hand.

"Time to fry, GIM old friend," Cyrus said as the electrical energy finished gathering. "Thundara!"

The lightning spell traveled from Cyrus's hand through Inferno and into the GIM. The spell wreaked havoc with the mech's servos and circuits as it convulsed and shuddered before shutting down. Cyrus smirked as he removed Inferno from the deactivated robot and shouldered the weapon. As he surveyed the canyon for more enemies, he didn't notice the Caladbolg soldier sneaking up from behind, his Saber raised high…

"Cyrus! Look out!"

Cyrus spun around just in time to halt the soldier's blow with Inferno's shaft. With his enhanced strength, it was easy for Cyrus to force the Caladbolg soldier back and bring Inferno's blade down across his chest. The soldier clutched his wound as he fell to the ground. Seconds later, his body gave up its spirit.

Cyrus breathed a sigh of relief as he shook the blood off of Inferno as he called out, "Thanks Kyra! I owe you one!"

"You're damn right you do," Kyra shouted back as she stepped into Cyrus's line of sight. She had bloodstains on her face and hand, but looked to be uninjured. Taizen soon showed up looking as fresh and crisp as before the fight. Had it not been for the slight nicks in Griffin's Heart, one would never have known that Taizen had just fought a battle.

Cyrus nodded as Kyra, Taizen, and their respective GFs circled around their team captain. The scythe warrior walked up to Ifrit and nodded in approval. Ifrit returned the nod as he, Shiva, and Quezacoatl returned to their respective summoners' minds. Cyrus then turned to his teammates and said, "Damn fine work. We keep this up, and President Caraway's going to end up paying us extra for this mission."

Kyra smiled as Taizen reported, "Quezacoatl says that only a handful of Caladbolg troops managed to escape to the desert. He apologizes for his inefficiency."

"Tell him not to worry about it," Cyrus reassured. "The abyss worms will probably take care of them for us. If not, then the only thing this Zekorev jackass will learn is that the three of us aren't anybody he wants to mess with."

"Got that right," Kyra agreed. "So, I guess this means we have to hike back to the train, huh?

"Not necessarily. One of the troop carriers managed to survive the assault intact. The only problem is that it wouldn't turn over when I tried starting it before."

"When did you have time to do that?" Cyrus asked. He then shook his head before saying, "Never mind, it doesn't matter. As long as that thing's in one piece, I can get it to start. Let's have a look."

Taizen nodded as he led his two teammates to the vehicle in question. Fifteen minutes under the hood later and Cyrus had gotten the vehicle repaired enough for Taizen to start it. The SeeDs piled in as Taizen turned the vehicle onto the tracks and drove it out of the canyon and into the desert. Cyrus, being from Galbadia, was able to direct Taizen through the sands to a nearby road that led to the capital.

Cyrus sighed as he sat back in his seat. It would be another three hours before they'd make it back to Deling City. In the meantime, the scythe warrior had every intention of taking it easy until they arrived.

After all, something told him that his team's little scrap in the canyon would be child's play compared to what President Caraway would have lined up for them.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile, high above the canyon where the skirmish between the three SeeDs and Caladbolg took place, two Caladbolg soldiers stood and watched the whole fight unfold. Finally, one of them spoke up and said, "It looks like the young fighters broke through our barricade without much trouble at all, Lieutenant Serigo."

"So it would seem," the man called Serigo said with a venomous tone. "They must have been SeeDs. Caraway must be getting desperate if he's contacting Garden for help."

"What are we going to report to the Colonel, sir?" Serigo's subordinate asked.

"What else? The truth. If Caraway does have these mercenaries under contract, then he will no doubt send them against us. Better to let Colonel Zekorev know what we are up against than lie."

"The Colonel's not going to like this," the Caladbolg grunt commented as he shook his head.

Serigo scoffed as he looked at the setting sun. His voice betrayed a small amount of nervousness as he finally replied:

"The Colonel's not the one I'm concerned about…"

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Man, I've never been as disappointed in a chapter as I was with my last one. Granted, introducing the new gear was good, but the rest of it was crap in my opinion! I felt so bad that I had to upload this chapter as my penance. Here's hoping this one goes back to the quality all my readers have come to expect from me!**

**Thanks to BestInInfluence and the Duelist of Dawn for their reviews. Thanks again go to my man Duelist for giving me a spot in his opening on the latest chapter of his story "Melodies of Life: Sorrow." It was loads of fun, and if you ever...**

**_*knock, knock, knock*_**

**_Me: Oh, Truth, not again..._**

**_*I open the door and am greeted by a man wearing a black jumpsuit and carrying a box of gadgets*_**

**_Machina: Hey, you Cyrus Truth? The Duelist of Dawn sent me over, said you had some issues with home security._**

**_Me: Oh, thank the Truth! You have no idea how much trouble I have with people barging in here and wrecking my shit. Especially one in particular...red-suited demon..._**

**_*Machina has a confused look on his face*_**

**_Me: What's the matter?_**

**_Machina: Well, you're an Exile, right? And Exiles are wanderers and nomads by nature. So why do you have an apartment? Shouldn't you be..._**

**_Me: Look, just don't question it and I'll give you a nice tip._**

**_Machina: Sweet! Let's get started then!_**

**_*Two hours of installation later...*_**

**_Machina: All right, got the pit trap at the front door, surveillance cameras in every room all linked to your laptop, an alarm system that alerts a team of highly-trained guard ninjas, and all the other "home defense" measures._**

**_Me: Excellent. So, where's the control?_**

**_Machina: Right here!_**

**_*Machina tosses me my cane*_**

**_Me: My cane's the controller?_**

**_Machina: Yep! There's a hidden button in the grip. Press that and the system goes active. Anybody that hasn't been screened by you goes for a little ride down the rabbit hole, so to speak._**

**_Me: Awesome! Here's your pay!_**

**_*I hand Machina a check with some cash as a tip*_**

**_Machina: All right! Pleasure doing business with you!_**

**_Me: Thanks again! And tell Duelist I said hi!_**

**Well, I feel more secure now. But it feels like there's something I'm forgetting...**

**Oh right! Review!**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	16. Chapter 16

Night had fallen on Deling City as the commandeered Caladbolg troop carrier pulled into Galbadia's capitol with the SeeD team inside. Despite Vinzer Deling's reputation as a dictator and global bully, the citizens of the city voted not to have the city's name changed in remembrance of Deling's earlier rule, when he lead Galbadia against Sorceress Adel and Esthar in the First Sorceress War. Cyrus, being one of the natives, didn't really care what they called the capitol…just so long as his country behaved itself on the world stage.

The SeeD's stolen vehicle was stopped at the outer wall, where G-army grunts had set up a checkpoint. One of them walked up to the vehicle and ordered its passengers to exit. Cyrus, not wanting to pick a fight with his employer, decided to play nice and vacate the military vehicle. Kyra and Taizen followed suit as all three lined up in front of the commanding officer as he asked in a demanding tone:

"All right, what's the purpose of your visit? And why are you driving one of our military vehicles?"

"The answer to both of those questions is the same," Cyrus replied. "To put it simply, we're here to do your job."

"Excuse me?!" the Galbadian officer shouted.

Cyrus sighed as he explained, "We're SeeDs from Balamb Garden. President Caraway hired us to deal with your insurgency problem. Along the way, our train was stopped by a Caladbolg blockade. My team and I cleared said blockade and stole a vehicle. Now, if you don't mind, we have an appointment with the president."

The officer looked dumbfounded as he finally said, "W-well, we need to see some verification before we…"

Taizen cut him off by producing a copy of the contract between Galbadia and Garden. The officer looked it over and stated in a more respectful tone, "All right…this looks legit. Welcome to Deling City. The Presidential Palace is…"

"I know where it is," Cyrus retorted. "We'll find our own way around here, thank you. Oh, and this vehicle here? It's ours now. So be a good sport and have your engineers fix it for us, okay?"

The officer looked pissed, but he really was not in a position to negotiate with the SeeDs. Instead, he simply nodded as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen walked past him and the checkpoint and into the city.

It had been years since Cyrus had been back home, but to him not much had changed. Deling City's street lights and buildings lit up the night sky as spotlights illuminated the Arch of Triumph in the center of the city. The public buses and various other automobiles cluttered the circling city streets as Cyrus simply shook his head and chuckled at all the familiar sites. Kyra and Taizen, however, were soaking in the new sights and sounds as they followed closely behind their captain.

The SeeD team finally was able to catch a bus headed for the Presidential Palace. Ten minutes later, the bus came to stop outside the gates of the massive, opulent residence of Galbadia's leader. As Cyrus stepped out alongside his teammates, he briefly flashbacked to seven years ago, when he alongside thousands of Deling City residents stood captivated by the Sorceress Edea as she made her ascension to ruler of Galbadia…after sending Vinzer Deling to meet Hyne in the afterlife…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_**Seven years ago…**_

_A young Cyrus Ranto, only thirteen years old, stood alongside his friends and their parents as Vinzer Deling appeared on the podium at the very top of the Presidential Palace. His speech was uncharacteristically short and to the point as he welcomed all the citizens of Deling City to the rally and promised them the beginning of a new era._

_The last words he spoke before turning the podium over to the next speaker was, __**"Fellow citizens of Galbadia, it is my honor to introduce our new ambassador…Sorceress Edea!"**_

_The crowd roared raucously as a strikingly beautiful woman in a black dress approached the podium very slowly…very deliberately. The woman wore a very ornate headdress with curving spikes, and the collar of her low-cut dress was lined with dark-purple feathers. These and the stoic expression on her face almost gave her the appearance of a demon…a succubus who was simply waiting to bring any unfortunate mortal to their knees and to a slow and painful demise…_

"…_**Lowlifes."**_

_That one word broke the crowd out of their reverie for a brief second as the sorceress continued:_

"_**Shameless filthy wretches…how you celebrate my ascension with such joy. Hailing the very one you have condemned for generations. Have you no shame?"**_

_To Cyrus's surprise, the crowd didn't get angry or upset. Rather, they started cheering…lightly at first, but soon it became deafening. Cyrus wondered why they would cheer someone who had insulted them as Edea continued her speech._

"_**What happened to the evil, ruthless sorceress from your fantasies? The cold-blooded tyrant that slaughtered countless men and destroyed many nations? Where is she now?"**_

_Edea smiled evilly as she raised her hands and pointed to herself. __**"She stands before your very eyes to become your new ruler."**_

_The sorceress started to laugh as President Deling walked up to her and whispered something in her ear. Without hesitation, Edea drove her long, sharp fingernails into his chest as his body was claimed by purple-black fire. Edea, never losing her composure, simply continued by saying:_

"_**This is reality. No one can help you. Sit back and enjoy the show."**_

_As she spoke, she effortlessly lifted the corpulent president high above her head and tossed the body aside like a piece of trash. To Cyrus's continued surprise, it only made the crowd cheer louder than ever. The confused child stood there in shock as Edea finished her speech by saying, __**"Rest assured, you fools. Your time will come. This is only the beginning. Let us start a new reign of terror. I will let you live a fantasy beyond your imagination…"**_

_A minute after the sorceress completed her speech, several crowd members close to the Arch of Triumph started to scream as two half-iguana, half-lion monsters materialized from the monument and jumped down into the mob. They swiftly ran past them and over the palace gate as they pounced on a young woman wearing blue that had accompanied Edea to the podium._

_Cyrus, scared half to death, closed his eyes as the crowd stopped screaming and returned to praising their new ruler. Their shouts sounded like a congregation of a dozen different languages as the young boy tried to rid his mind of the nightmares he had just witnessed…_

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Hey, Cyrus? Are you okay?"

Kyra's voice snapped Cyrus back to reality. He shook his head to clear out the cobwebs as he answered, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just relieving an old nightmare. Well, we better go meet Caraway before he gets impatient."

Kyra nodded as Cyrus led his team to the gate, where another Galbadian soldier stood by acting as its keeper. The soldier raised his hand up and shouted, "Halt!"

The SeeDs did just that as the soldier continued, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't let you pass."

"Relax," Cyrus replied. "President Caraway hired us. We're SeeDs from Balamb Garden."

"I know, but I still can't let you pass without proving yourselves. There are many who would call on President Caraway, and he has neither the time nor the patience to deal with those who aren't worthy."

"So he aims to test us, huh?" Cyrus asked rhetorically. He then smiled as he said, "Fine then. Have it your way. Kyra, if you would…"

Kyra's eyes gleamed as she quickly stepped in-between Cyrus and the Galbadian sentry. The soldier's voice was starting to shake as he tried to explain, "Listen, Miss. I have my orders and I cannot…"

The soldier never finished as Kyra quickly drove her fist into the soldier's stomach, forcing the sentry to drop to his knees in pain. Kyra simply smiled as she delivered a roundhouse kick to the guard's helmet, rattling his skull to the point of losing consciousness. The red-haired fighter, without skipping a beat, knelt down beside the knocked-out soldier and grabbed his ID card. She handed it to Cyrus with a bright smile and asked in both a sweet and vicious tone, "So, was that what you had in mind?"

"Yeah, that'll do," Cyrus said with pride in his voice as he used the ID card to open the gate. He then motioned for his team to follow him in as the SeeDs walked right past the unconscious gatekeeper and right through the front door.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Fury Caraway was a man who believed in control above all else. Having spent most of his life as an officer in the Galbadian Army, he believed that order was always preferable to chaos and panic. That is why he took it upon himself to organize the assassination of his longtime friend Vinzer Deling's new ambassador…if only to save Galbadia from war and Deling from his own fate. When the Second Sorceress War ended and the world returned to normal from Time Compression, he chose to run for president not for personal gain and glory, but because he felt he had a duty that yet needed to be fulfilled.

As such, the former general had spent much of his administration righting the wrongs committed before and during the Second Sorceress War. From reestablishing diplomatic ties with Esthar to granting Timber its independence, Caraway's actions had been universally praised as showing Galbadia's honest efforts to establish and maintain peace.

However, while his foreign affairs were handled and received well, President Caraway still had issues domestically, and he had one man to blame for that…Umar Zekorev.

"Mr. President!" one of Caraway's aides nervously stated, breaking the president's train of thought. "A trio of mercenaries has broken in and is heading your way. Should I…?"

"No, you do not have to call security," Caraway assured. "Those three are SeeDs and my guests. Let them through."

"Way ahead of you, President Caraway," Cyrus shouted as the doors to Caraway's office were flung wide open, allowing the SeeD team to waltz right on in. Cyrus and Kyra had mischievous looks on their faces as Caraway turned to face them. He dismissed his aide with a wave of his hand as he addressed the three young fighters.

"Breaking into my home is not exactly the best way to make a first impression. But I suppose it does prove your tenacity."

"You hired us to deal with the Caladbolg insurgency, Mr. President," Cyrus argued. "I don't think you or us have time to waste on games and tests."

"Point taken," Caraway conceded. "To be honest, it's rather refreshing. Even your commander did not have the gumption to do what you did when he first came to meet me…"

"Sir, not that I mind chatting with you on the merits of our actions, but you didn't hire us to talk philosophy. If it is all right with you, I'd prefer to know what our mission is," Cyrus said, almost to the point of demanding.

Caraway's betrayed an amused grin as he replied, "Very well. Let's get down to it. I assume Leonhart briefed you already on who you are up against?"

All three SeeDs nodded in agreement. "Good. Then let me explain why I've brought you here."

Caraway handed Cyrus a folder. As Cyrus looked through it, Caraway began to explain, "As you are most likely aware, Galbadia possesses long-range intercontinental missiles. They were developed during the First Sorceress War as a deterrent against a missile strike from Esthar, the only other nation to develop such technology. Seven years ago, our nation had a state-of-the-art missile base to the south of Deling City and west of the Dingo Desert. Sorceress Ultimecia, after the failed assassination attempt, ordered missiles to be launched at both Trabia and Balamb Gardens in retaliation.

"Right after the attack on Trabia and before the second missile launch against Balamb, a team of SeeDs under the command of Selphie Tilmitt infiltrated the base and activated its self-destruct mechanism, completely obliterating the base and the majority of Galbadia's missile stock. That base has remained an abandoned wreck ever since then…that is, until recently."

The Galbadian president then handed Cyrus a surveillance birds-eye photo of the destroyed missile base. "As you can see, Caladbolg had decided to move in to the old missile base and are in the process of rebuilding it. No is quite sure where they are getting the supplies to do this, but we cannot deny that they are reconstructing the base back to what it once was."

"Question, Mr. President," Taizen spoke up. "Why would they choose to rebuild the old missile base? It seems rather pointless for a guerrilla faction, unless…"

"Your presumption is correct," Caraway affirmed. "About a week ago, Caladbolg soldiers hijacked a military transport train and acquired a half-dozen long-range missiles. While the base's structure is relatively wrecked, there is the slight possibility that some of the underground launchers may still be intact. You can see now why we're so concerned with this."

"I see," Cyrus finally added. "And with your forces stretched as thin as they are, there's not much you can do to muster a large enough force to deal with this."

"Even if I could, basic military strategy says that a siege would only result in a large number of casualties and a large waste of resources on our side. SeeDs once blew up that missile base…no reason why they can't do it again."

"Agreed. No worries, Mr. President. My team and I can handle this. We'll blow that base back to hell and make sure that Caladbolg will never be able to use it again."

"That's what I'm counting on," Caraway replied with a tinge of doubt in his voice. He then took a closer look at Cyrus and asked, "Do I know you, son?"

Cyrus shook his head as he plainly answered, "No, but you do know my father. Erik Ranto…lead engineer for the G-Army."

"Ah, so you're Ranto's son, huh? He mentioned that you had enrolled in Garden some years back. So the prodigal son returns home to aide his nation. Almost poetic…my late wife would've certainly appreciated it."

"Yes, sir," Cyrus said, not knowing if it was the right thing to say. "We'll be staying at the hotel for the night. First thing tomorrow, we'll head out to the missile base and deal with Caladbolg. If that's all right with you…"

"That's acceptable," Caraway agreed. "I'll have one of my aides call ahead and have a room prepared for you. Just do me one favor as a guest of my country…stay out of trouble."

"Will do," Cyrus said as he and his comrade saluted the former military officer and walked out of his office. As they walked through the palace, Kyra spoke up and said:

"Wow…you think he's always that uptight? He acts like Taizen, only older and more superior and prickish."

"He's the leader of one of the most powerful nations in the world, his country has a reputation of being a bully, and he has a dangerous domestic insurgency to deal with. No doubt he's merely stressed out by all the conflicts he has to deal with," Taizen explained.

"No," Cyrus interjected. "He's always been like that. A military man through and through. He'd always address me like I was one of his soldiers when he'd come over to visit my dad."

"That's right!" Kyra shouted excitedly. "Your dad does live here, doesn't he?! Well, let's go visit him! I'm dying to know if he's as bad-ass with a spear as you say he is."

"Sorry, but visiting my dad's going to have to wait," Cyrus replied. "Rule Number 10 says 'Always take care of business before indulging in personal matters.'"

"Damn it, Cyrus! Fine…but once we blow that base up, you are introducing us to your father. Unless of course you want me to reintroduce my fist to your face?"

"No, that won't be necessary," Cyrus reassured. "If I can, I'll introduce you to my father. No promises, though."

"I'm still going to take it as a promise, regardless of what you say," Kyra said with conviction as she hailed a nearby bus heading for the shopping plaza and the Galbadia Hotel. Taizen simply shrugged as he followed his female teammate. Cyrus simply stood there for a second chuckling at Kyra's exuberance and Taizen's indifference.

"Well, I did pick them," Cyrus admitted as he walked down to join his teammates in the bus. Tonight they would relax in all the comforts that Deling City had to offer.

Tomorrow, however, Cyrus and his friends would be going to war.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Wow, three chapters in as many days...I must really like you guys! And guess what, I really do!**

**Admittedly, having a day off work helps too...**

**Anyway, thanks to The Duelist of Dawn and Ally Todd for the excellent reviews. Rock on! And thanks also goes out to the newest reader to favorite my story: coop52! Although I'm a little disappointed he didn't leave a review, I'm glad he's along for the ride. Thanks!**

**Stay tuned for Chapter 16...Cyrus Truth want BIG BOOM!**

**Be a "Smooth Criminal," a "Pretty Young Thing," or just a "Thriller." Whatever you decide to be, "Just Beat It" and moonwalk me a review! **

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	17. Chapter 17

"Well, this isn't going to be easy," Cyrus commented as he used a pair of binoculars to scout the Caladbolg activity inside the ruined missile base.

It was mid-afternoon when Cyrus and his companions had made it from Deling City to the site of the abandoned Galbadian base. For close to an hour, the SeeDs took turns on reconnaissance, noting troop movement, defenses, and anything else that might impede their mission. Finally, having been satisfied with what he had learned, Cyrus crawled down on the rock pile that he and his team had been hiding behind and brought Kyra and Taizen over for a huddle.

"So, what are we up against?" Taizen asked plainly.

Cyrus sighed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "From the looks of things, Caladbolg has completely rebuilt the outer wall, and none of us were able to see any openings. Inside the walls…it gets much worse.

"We've got a whole battalion of Caladbolg soldiers, half gunners and half Sabers. There's also a least a dozen GIM47N mechs and a handful of the newer GIM52As. That's not taking into account any 'surprises' that Caladbolg's got buried in the base's underground bunkers. Oh, and they're working on getting one of the surviving missile launchers online. So yeah…loads of fun for everyone."

Taizen nodded as a pensive look crept onto his face. "The resistance inside would be substantial. If we only had more men, we might be able to…"

"Well, we don't!" Kyra snapped. "And if we're taking a vote here, I'm all for a frontal assault. Just saying!"

Cyrus chuckled. Ever since Kyra picked up her new combat gloves from Deling City, she had been itching to test them out against something other than thrustaevises. Admittedly, her new gloves did look rather vicious: a pair of fingerless black leather gloves with a pair of small, sickle-shaped blades protruding out from the top of either hand. The blades were short enough not to get in the way of Kyra's Demon Fangs but large enough to gut any unfortunate soldier that was on the receiving end of one of Kyra's punches.

Fittingly, Kyra called them "Soul Crushers."

The scythe-wielder placed his hand on Kyra's shoulder as he calmly explained, "Kyra, you know that I'm up for a good scrap as much as the next guy, but rushing the front of the base with three people? Even with our GFs, I don't like our chances."

"Yeah, I guess so," Kyra said unconvinced. "But what else is there? An aerial assault's out of the question, and we've already determined that sneaking in isn't going to work either. So, what do we do if not a frontal assault?"

"A three-way pincer attack," Cyrus answered with a smile.

"Instead of having us attack together, you have us attack separately? With all due respect, Cyrus…that's crazy!" Taizen replied.

"I like it!" Kyra shouted exuberantly.

"All right, calm down," Cyrus said reassuringly. "Look, I know it sounds crazy, but it'll work. Let me explain."

Cyrus then knelt down and started to draw out a rough picture of the base's outer wall. "Instead of going through the front, we'll each take on one of the other walls with our GFs. Taizen, I'm going to need you to rig us up some explosives…the bigger the boom, the better.

"I'm also going to mix up a couple dozen vials…flash-bangs, essentially. Toss them on the ground and it'll blind and disorient those Calabolg rejects up to a couple of yards from impact. With these, we can keep Caladbolg confused and unorganized…"

"…While they think that an army's attacking them from any given breach! Cyrus, sometimes I think I love you," Kyra finished with her trademark smile.

"Just 'think?'" Cyrus coyly replied as he turned to Taizen. "So, what do you think?"

Taizen looked at Cyrus's diagram and mulled it over for a few seconds before answering, "When you put it like that, it does seem feasible. But the GIMs won't be affected by your chemicals and their stunning effect."

"True," Cyrus admitted. "But being machines, a good Thundara will handle them quickly enough. Just watch out for the 52s' Micro Missiles and the 47s' machine guns, and you won't have anything to worry about."

"All right," Taizen relented, "I'll get to work on the explosives. How many do we need?"

"A half-dozen," Cyrus stated, "two for each of us. One to breach the wall, and the other for the final explosion."

"What final explosion?" Kyra said with anticipation.

Cyrus slyly smirked. "Caraway's paying us to blow up this base. He didn't say anything about retrieving the stolen missiles. Find a missile cluster, slap on a bomb, and run like hell."

"Using the stolen missiles to blow up the base?" Taizen said with a quizzical look on his face. He then smiled ever so slightly as he continued, "A bit crude, but clever nonetheless. I'll get to work right away. With luck, I should be finished by sundown."

"Good," Cyrus replied in acknowledgement. "That gives me time to get the flash-bangs ready. Kyra, you're on lookout."

"Yes, sir!" Kyra said with a mock salute as she grabbed the binoculars from Cyrus and perched herself on the rock just enough to get a good view of the base. Both Cyrus and Taizen quickly grabbed their raw materials from their respective tool bags and got to work making the supplies they'd need for this raid.

It would be risky…it would be dangerous. But they were SeeDs, the finest fighting force in the world. And Cyrus was certain that he and his team had what it took to take down Caladbolg and complete their mission.

"Hyne help those poor bastards," Cyrus muttered under his breath as he continued to mix together chemicals.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The sun had started to set as Cyrus and Taizen finished their preparations. Kyra, in spite of her boredom, hadn't complained as she continued to remain on watch. Cyrus and Taizen divided up the flash-bangs and explosives into three equal caches as Kyra broke the males' concentration by shouting, "Cyrus! Something's going on down there. Come up here and take a look!"

Confused, Cyrus crawled up to where Kyra was perched and took the binoculars from her. With the binoculars, the scythe warrior saw what had gotten Kyra's attention: a long black limousine with blackened windows pulling into the Caladbolg outpost without any opposition. The limo drove past the makeshift tents that the rebels had set up and came to a stop on top of a large supply elevator. The elevator screeched to life as it slowly descended, taking the limo deep into the missile base's underground bunker.

"Hmm," Cyrus said as he watched all of this unfold.

"Weird, huh?" Kyra said as Cyrus handed her back the binoculars.

"Yeah," Cyrus admitted, "weird is right. If I had to guess, I'd say that whoever's in the limo's the one funding Caladbolg. But who…?"

"Ah, who cares?" Kyra countered. "If they are funding Caladbolg, then we'll just be killing two birds with one stone! So let's just focus on the raid and not worry about it. After all, it's not a problem until it becomes a problem."

Cyrus thought about it before nodding in agreement. "You're right. No sense in worrying about it now. The poor bastards' just picked the wrong day to come visit this wreck. Let's meet back up with Taizen and get our gear. The President's not going to pay us until we blow this place back into rubble, after all."

"Oh, yeah," Kyra said, her voice practically oozing with anticipation. The two carefully crawled down the rocks to where Taizen was waiting. After getting their equipment all situated, Cyrus gave his friends one final nod as they went their separate ways…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"All right, is everyone in position?" Cyrus said using his earwig transceiver. The sky had gotten dark enough for the three SeeDs to approach the missile base without Caladbolg spotted them. The sun had not completely set, giving the SeeDs some light to work with but not enough to make their presence oblivious to the enemy.

"Affirmative," Taizen responded.

"In position," Kyra replied in kind.

"Good. Set your bombs for thirty seconds on my mark. Once the bombs detonate, summon your GFs and get in there. Remember, use the flash-bangs, maintain Protect spells, and find a missile cluster. Once you find one, plant your bomb and rendezvous at the northwest corner. Any questions?"

There was no response as Cyrus continued, "All right, place your bombs and get ready to set the timers on my mark."

Cyrus stuck his bomb on the wall as he programmed its digital timer for thirty seconds. He had his finger poised to set it as he waited a couple of seconds. He then whispered the order: "Do it."

Cyrus pressed the button on the bomb as the timer started to dial down. Cyrus quickly ran to a safe distance as he waited for the inevitable explosion. After a few seconds, Cyrus's patience was rewarded with three perfectly-timed explosions, blasting three identical holes in the ruined base's walls.

Cyrus grabbed Inferno and said in a low voice, "Are you ready, Ifrit?"

"Always," the fiery GF replied as he materialized from his pillar of flames. Cyrus, smiling the whole time, quickly ran towards the breach with Ifrit close behind him. The SeeD cast Protect spells on himself and Ifrit as the two of them reached the wall and jumped through the hole.

Cyrus was immediately confronted with four Saber-wielding Caladbolg soldiers. Without hesitation, Cyrus blocked the first two with Inferno as he took out the others with a Fira spell. The twisting, burning flames consumed the soldiers as Cyrus parried and struck down the two that had attacked them with quick slashes from Inferno. Cyrus had little time to enjoy his victory as several more Caladbolg troopers rushed over to him. Cyrus simply shook his head as he ran to meet them.

Meanwhile, Ifrit was busy manhandling any unfortunate mortal that happened to get in his way. With swipes and punches and blows, the Demon Lord of Flames broke past lines of Caladbolg soldiers, continually moving forward in search of a more worthy fight.

And thus the scythe-wielding SeeD and his guardian fought through the hordes, using the flash-bang vials to keep Caladbolg off-kilter and make the fight slightly easier. Cyrus had just finished knocking out a trio of militiamen with the head of Inferno as he shouted into his transceiver:

"Kyra, Taizen, report! What's your status?"

"I'm encountering heavy resistance from Caladbolg gunners," Taizen's voice shouted over the sound of gunfire and crackling electricity. "Quezacoatl and I are making progress, but still no sign of the stolen missiles."

"Kyra, what about you?" Cyrus said as he fended off a Caladbolg Saber soldier's blow and cleaved his head from his body with one slash from Inferno. Kyra didn't respond as Cyrus started to worry.

"Kyra?! KYRA! Damn it, answer me!"

"For the love of Hyne, Cyrus! Will you shut up? I'm in the middle of kicking ass here!" Kyra's voice finally responded through the transceiver. Cyrus thought he could hear the sound of cracking bone and screams coming through as well.

"_What was I worried about?" _Cyrus thought with a smirk. _"I really feel sorry for the unfortunate soul that's standing between her and the missiles."_

Cyrus set his thoughts aside as he continued to bash and cut his way past enemy after enemy. He finally saw his target: a box of missiles waiting by a launcher hatch. Unfortunately, it was guarded by a pair of Caladbolg soldiers and a GIM52A. Cyrus simply scoffed as he rushed towards the trio.

The 52, a purple mech with thin legs and arms attached to a thick torso and rocket pack, opened up its shoulders and launched its Micro Missiles. Cyrus used his enhanced speed to dodge the projectiles and lunge at one of the Caladbolg soldier. The rebel didn't even have time to react as Cyrus drove Inferno's blade deep into his gut, killing him instantly. Cyrus, without wasting a second, swung the corpse around and sent it flying into the second Caladbolg soldier. The second Caladbolg soldier fell to the ground with the body of his fallen comrade, but before he could get up, Cyrus was right on top of him, pinning him to the ground with the blade of his scythe and stomping his skull until he lost consciousness.

Cyrus then turned his attention to the GIM52A, who had started its engines and started to propel itself at Cyrus with incredible speed. Using instinct alone, Cyrus brought his scythe staff up to block the GIM's sharp metal claw. The rocket-propelled mech continued to push Cyrus back as the SeeD started to lose ground. Then, in a matter of seconds, Ifrit descended from above and used his massive fist to crush the 52 into scrap iron.

Cyrus took a second to compose himself as he said to his GF, "Thanks again, Ifrit. But I could've taken him."

"I know," Ifrit simply stated.

"Well, you think you can keep these Caladbolg jackasses off me long enough for me to leave them an explosive present?"

"Consider it done."

Ifrit returned to the ongoing fight as Cyrus ran back towards the missile stockpile. After fighting his way past three Caladbolg troopers, he reached his destination. "Kyra, Taizen…I've reached a pair of missiles. I'm planting the bomb now…"

"All right, Cyrus!" Kyra shouted. "Let's blow this place and…hey, what the…damn it!"

"Kyra, what's going on? Report!" Cyrus ordered.

Kyra's voice didn't come through as Cyrus swore under his breath. "Taizen! Find Kyra and give her some reinforcements! Do you copy?"

To Cyrus's dismay, Taizen was also not responding. "Taizen! Damn it, Taizen…report! Report! For fuck's sake, answer me!"

Cyrus, completely forgetting about the bomb and the mission, picked up his scythe and turned to where his friends were fighting. He rushed into several Caladbolg soldiers without thinking and struck them down without any hesitation. Ifrit roared in the distance as Cyrus pressed deeper and deeper into the fray…

…only to be stopped by a man wearing a white robe.

"What the hell?" Cyrus said as he dropped into his battle stance against his new opponent. "Ezerath?! What the hell are you doing here?"

"Ezerath?" the man in white responded in genuine confusion. "You are mistaken. I am not Sensei Ezerath. But he has told me about you…the reaper of destiny."

Cyrus was not in the mood to deal with another one of the Seraphim Society's cryptic speeches as he lunged at his new opponent with a bloodlust. The man in white simply raised his hand as Cyrus felt time slow down to a grinding halt. The SeeD couldn't move his limbs as he screamed in frustration.

Ifrit, sensing his summoner's plight, rushed over to where Cyrus had been caught in the trappings of a Stop spell. Enraged, Ifrit summoned his Hellfire and brought it crashing down on the Seraphim acolyte. When the attack completed its destruction, Ifrit was shocked to see the man in white standing as if nothing happened. The man simply raised his hand at Ifrit and summoned white tendrils of energy to surround and trap the Demon Lord of Flames. The magic burned and tortured Ifrit to the point where he had no choice but to return to Cyrus's mind.

With Ifrit dealt with, the Seraphim acolyte called Caladbolg troopers to him and motioned for them to surround Cyrus. Cyrus, despite his strength and rage, could do nothing as the man in white walked up to him and cast a Sleep spell. Cyrus fought the drowsiness for as long as he could, but the spell was too strong.

The last thing that Cyrus saw before drifting off to sleep was the man in white staring at him with an inhuman yellow glow in his eyes and a look of pity. Cyrus cursed him and his whole cult as he finally lost consciousness…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Not my best chapter, but it's packed with action, foreshadowing, and one hell of a cliffhanger. Not bad...not bad at all. And where the hell's my big boom? Maybe next chapter!**

**Thanks again to Ally Todd and The Duelist of Dawn for the reviews. And a special thanks to my newest reader Extreme uGamer'verWhateverPicHe'sGotUpRightNow. Rock on, guy! You make me a very, very happy Exile. Seriously, I...**

**_*Repeated knocking on the front door*_**

**_Me: Well, well, I wonder who this could be?_**

**_*I walk up to the door and look through the peephole*_**

**_Me: Aw, damn it! Kringle, what the hell do you want?_**

**_Santa: Isn't it obvious? I'm here to kick your ass again! You've been a naughty boy, and I've got a sack full of coal to swing upside your head!_**

**_Me: Look, Claus, just get the hell off my property. I've already kicked your Santa-Punching ass once already, don't make me do it again!_**

**_Santa: Screw you, Cyrus Truth! Until you apologize for being such an ungrateful little punk, I'll hunt you down to the ends of the Earth. Every waking moment of your life will be a living nightmare as you continually look over your shoulder, just wondering when Santa Claus is coming to town...to KILL YOU! MWHOHOHOHOHO!!!_**

**_*I sigh in exasperation*_**

**_Me: Fine, have it your way._**

**_*I press the button on my cane and send Santa plummeting down the trapdoor. I hear a thud as Santa hits the bottom as the trapdoor slams shut*_**

**_Me: Thank you, Machina. Thank you, Duelist of Dawn. Now, what to do with my new guest? Hehehehehe..._**

**_*Two hours later...Santa is covered in bruises, bound with duct tape, and being shoved in a box*_**

**_Me: Well, nice of you to visit again, Kringle. But I think it's time you go._**

**_Santa: So, where the hell are you sending me? Where on Earth could you send me that I won't be able to escape?_**

**_*I smile wickedly as I shove Santa into the box, nail it shut, and slap a stamp on it*_**

**_Me: See you later, Santa._**

**_*I snap my fingers as a pale-skinned man wearing a tattered brown tunic emerges from the shadows*_**

**_Me: Been a long time, Nero. I've got another "delivery" for you to make._**

**_Nero: Nothing to worry about, Truth. I'll deliver it to wherever it needs to go. You can count on me..._**

**Well, that takes care of that problem. So yeah...just leave me a review. Unless of course you want Nero to pay you a visit, too?**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	18. Chapter 18

Cyrus woke up in a dimly-lit room with a throbbing headache and his arms restricted thanks to a straightjacket. Cyrus cursed quietly as he looked around the room for any sign of an exit, his weapon, or his teammates. Finding none of these, the SeeD then tried standing up, a difficult task without the use of one's arms.

He finally managed to get back to his feet by kipping up. To his dismay, however, Cyrus quickly discovered that his straightjacket was attached to a series of four chains connected to each of the room's corners…meaning that Cyrus had just wasted energy getting up just to find out he wasn't going anywhere.

"_Fuck me," _Cyrus swore mentally. _"Ifrit, you still there?"_

Ifrit's voice rang through Cyrus's mind, but it was distorted and somewhat muffled, _**"Yes, I am here. But I am weakened and unable to lend you my full strength. My injuries and the anti-magic barrier in this room are making it difficult for me to aid you."**_

"_Just rest for now," _Cyrus ordered. _"You're no good to either of us as you are now. Rest and regain your strength. I'll need it when we break out of here."_

Ifrit noted his summoner's choice of words: when, not if…

"_**Very well. Call upon me when you need me. I will be ready."**_

Cyrus nodded as Ifrit receded deeper into his mind. Seconds later, the door to Cyrus's makeshift prison opened as a Caladbolg rebel and the Seraphim acolyte from earlier walked in. The yellow glow in the acolyte's eyes glowed even brighter in the darkness of the holding cell. Cyrus glared at his captors as he spoke up:

"So, Caladbolg and the Seraphim Society are working hand-in-hand. I have to admit, I didn't see that coming. Please, do introduce yourselves. I'd like to know the names of the people I'm going to kill before I do so."

The Seraphim acolyte answered, "My name is not important. All that matters…"

"…is the will of the Great Hyne. Yeah, Ezerath already fed me that line of bullshit," Cyrus interrupted. He then turned to the Caladbolg soldier and asked, "What about you, flattop? Or do you share this lunatic's fervor for a fallen god?"

The Caladbolg soldier simply scoffed as he replied, "My name is Serigo, first lieutenant of the Caladbolg Liberation Army. And you really should be thanking this lunatic. Had he not told me differently, I would have killed you and those other two SeeD scum already."

"You would have tried," Cyrus shot back. "So Lieutenant, the glorious revolution and its famed colonel are taking orders from a group of white-robe wearing cultists? I have to tell you, that's kind of sad."

"Caladbolg doesn't take orders from the Seraphim Society…" an older female voice said from the entranceway. Serigo and the Seraphim acolyte stepped aside as a middle-aged woman in a black business suit stepped in front of Cyrus. She had graying brown hair and had an air of superiority swirling around her. Whoever she was, she spoke with arrogance as she continued, "…Caladbolg answers to me."

"And who in the hell are you supposed to be? The egomaniacal benefactor?" Cyrus asked mockingly.

"Oh, I'm more than that, young man," the woman said in an equally-mocking tone. "Perhaps you've heard of me. I'm Senior Ambassador Sayana Malachi."

"_Malachi…Rizo's mother? Son of a bitch…" _Cyrus thought.

"I take it you recognize my surname," Sayana continued, "just as I recognized yours. Cyrus Ranto, son of Chief Engineer Erik Ranto and a recent addition to SeeD. My son has told me much about you…and none of it very flattering."

"Your son's an arrogant asshole who only thinks of increasing his power and status. I guess now I know where he gets it from…a power-hungry bitch of a mother."

Sayana laughed as she replied, "Oh, really? And what's wrong with a little ambition? Both my son and I simply want what anyone else would want. The only difference is that we're willing to take what we want by any means necessary. In this world, nothing worth while is ever just handed to you. More times than not, you must take what is rightfully yours…by force if necessary."

Cyrus shook his head in disappointment. "You really aren't very bright, are you? Ambition is fine when tempered with something like honor or duty. But yours and Rizo's is uncontrolled, unchecked. Rule Number 3: fear nothing save for your own ambition."

"Pity. You're just not old enough to understand the difference between idealism and reality. I taught my son that very difference ages ago, and I plan on setting an example for him. After all, that's a mother's job."

"So you plan on using Caladbolg to overthrow Caraway and have Zekorev name you the new president…is that it?"

"Precisely," Sayana confirmed. "This great nation of ours has the technology to stand against Esthar and the Garden Alliance. And thanks to our relationship with the Seraphim Society, we'll soon have the ultimate power at our disposal…the magic of the Guardian Forces. The world will be brought to their knees at the sight of the new Galbadian Empire!"

"Say what?" Cyrus angrily asked. "The GFs? What are you planning on doing with the GFs?"

Sayana faked a surprised look as she explained, "What? Can't you guess? We plan on using the GFs much like you do: junctioning. However, it's not very efficient to junction just one GF to just one soldier. Thankfully, the Seraphim Society has come up with a way to junction one GF to multiple users. Granted, it causes terrible pain to the GF in question and will undoubtedly kill it, but sacrifices are often required in a revolution…"

"You conniving bitch!" Cyrus shouted as he struggled fruitlessly to free himself from his shackles. "The Guardian Forces are not some tool of war just to use and abuse! They are sentient beings like you or me! And I'll be damned if I'm going to let you get away with this!"

"Then you will be damned," Sayana replied matter-of-factly. "In fact, you'll actually be helping us. That GF of yours is quite strong, and I'm sure he'll help give Caladbolg more than enough power to bring Caraway's reign to a crushing finale."

Sayana then turned to the Seraphim acolyte and said in a commanding tone, "Draw the GF from this wretch. Then do the same to the other two."

"Very well," the acolyte said as he brought his hands up to the level of Cyrus's heart, both palms facing the scythe warrior. Seconds later, the acolyte's palms were illuminated in the same yellow color as his eyes as Cyrus started to feel something ethereal pulling at something in his soul. The pain was starting to become excruciating as Cyrus could quite literally feel Ifrit being dragged out from his mind.

Cyrus shouted in agony as he finally managed to say, "No…I'm not letting this happen. Ifrit's my friend, my guardian…and I'm not letting you have him!!"

To the surprise of everyone inside that cell, the energy surrounding Cyrus and the Seraphim acolyte began to throb and pulsate. Shockingly, the more Cyrus resisted the acolyte's GF draw, the energy continued to grow in both size and intensity. The chains holding Cyrus captive started to crack and give way as a voice shouted out over a loudspeaker:

"Madam Ambassador! The SeeD's emitting a dangerous amount of magical power! You must evacuate for your own safety!"

"How can that be? I thought this cell was equipped with an anti-magic field?!" Sayana retorted.

"Ma'am, we have to leave," Serigo calmly stated as he started to drag Sayana away from Cyrus and the acolyte. "The Colonel cannot complete the coup without your support."

Sayana looked pissed, but said nothing as she allowed Serigo to escort her out of the cell and to a safer location. A few seconds later, the massive force of Cyrus's expended energy shattered his bonds and tore his straightjacket to shreds, freeing the SeeD completely. It also knocked the acolyte back against the wall hard. The energy still kept pouring out of Cyrus as he stumbled over to the acolyte and picked him up with his right arm.

"Where are my friends?" Cyrus asked in a menacing tone.

The acolyte answered him by casting another Stop spell. However, unlike last time, the spell had no effect on Cyrus as he simply shrugged it off and tossed the Seraphim member clear across the room. His body made a dent in the wall as Cyrus again walked up to the acolyte and asked, "Where are my friends?!"

"My life is meaningless," the acolyte simply stated. "Therefore, you will never get me to betray the Seraphim Society. You may as well kill me."

"Suit yourself," Cyrus said in an eerily calm voice as he grabbed the acolyte's head and broke his neck with ease. With the acolyte now dead, the insanely powerful force that had emerged from Cyrus dissipated as the SeeD felt his body and psyche returning to normal.

"_Okay…how the hell did I manage that?" _Cyrus asked himself, genuinely confused at what he had been able to do. He didn't have time to ponder what had transpired as he was quickly confronted with a trio of Caladbolg guards with Sabers. With the anti-magic field now destroyed, Cyrus conjured up a pair of Aero spells and used the wind magic to send his opponents flying hard into the wall, knocking them out. Cyrus walked out of the cell and grabbed a pair of Sabers and ID cards from his fallen foes as he took the corridor to the right, hoping he would find Kyra and Taizen.

"Hang on, guys," Cyrus muttered under his breath as he started to run.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After fighting off several more guards, Cyrus was able to find a pair of cells that looked similar to the one he had been imprisoned in. He opened the door slightly to listen in, hoping he would find one of his friends.

"Well, aren't you just a pretty little thing?" a gruff voice said in a lecherous tone. "Not so tough now that you're all tied up, are ya?

"Go fuck yourself," the familiar voice of Kyra said in reply.

The hormone-driven guard laughed as he said, "Nah, that's not what I got in mind. We're going to have ourselves a little fun before that Seraphim creep finishes up with that boyfriend of yours. Heh, heh, heh, heh…"

Cyrus wasn't about to let this conversation continue as he used his junctioned strength to kick the door down and lunge at the guard inside. He brought the guard down to the floor as he locked in a chokehold, strangling the would-be rapist slowly until he breathed his last. Cyrus tossed his corpse aside as he used the stolen Sabers to free Kyra.

Once Kyra was freed, she did something unexpected: she hugged Cyrus. "Thank you," Kyra whispered. "You have no idea how happy I am that you came when you did."

Cyrus smiled as he returned Kyra's embrace. "It's all right. I'm here. You ready to get some revenge?"

Kyra separated herself from the scythe wielder as she said in a gravely serious tone, "You better believe it. I'm going to kill every last one of these Caladbolg assholes and burn the Seraphim Society to the ground!"

"Works for me," Cyrus replied approvingly as he led Kyra out of the cell. "But before that, we need to free Taizen."

"He should be in that cell right there," Kyra explained as she pointed to an adjacent cell. "And that pervert mentioned that our gear's locked up further down the hall."

"All right. Free Taizen and wait here. I'll go grab our gear."

"Got it," Kyra acknowledged. "And Cyrus…if anyone gets in your way, make them hurt."

Cyrus nodded as he ran down the hall while Kyra bashed down the door to Taizen's cell. He only had to fight off a handful of Caladbolg guards before making to the armory. Cyrus again used his strength to bash the door down and find his and his team's equipment. After sliding on his tactical vest and grabbing Inferno, Cyrus immediately turned his attention away from escape and to revenge.

"_These bastards are going to pay dearly for what they've done," _Cyrus swore to himself as he grabbed Kyra and Taizen's gear and headed back down the hall.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, a convalescing Ifrit echoed his summoner's vow. _**"They will pay dearly…oh yes, they most certainly will…"**_

**__________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

**Author's Notes:**

**PRISON BREAK!!! Okay, just had to get that out of my system. So the puppet master has been revealed...or has she? And a plot to forcibly use the GFs' power. Can I possibly up the epic anymore?**

**I will most certainly try!**

**Thanks to ExtremeuGamer, Ally Todd (thanks for the plug on your profile, BTW), and the Duelist of Dawn for the reviews. I'm almost at 50, and that's just freakin' sweet! Hopefully this is the chapter that pushes me over the hump. Rock on, fellow travelers on the Long and Winding Road!**

**Chapter 19: The gang ransacks the missile base and uncovers a secret. And a familiar foe shows its fearsome face...**

**Four out of five doctors agree that reviewing lowers blood pressure, strengthens immunity, and improves sexual pleasure. So review...you know, for your health!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	19. Chapter 19

Driven by rage and vengeance, the SeeD trio continued to strike, slash, and bash any Caladbolg soldiers that foolishly tried to stop them from escaping. Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen didn't know where the exit was, and they didn't take the time to question any Caladbolg troopers before striking them down. This had continued for close to twenty minutes before Taizen finally said:

"Do you know the way out of here, Cyrus? It almost seems like we're going around in circles."

Cyrus shook his head as he pulled Inferno's blade out of the chest of a newly-killed Caladbolg rebel. "I'm afraid not. I've never visited the old missile base with my dad, and even then I never would've gotten to see this underground bunker. So, I'm just as lost as you."

"Forget that!" Kyra interjected. "Let's just keep moving forward. We're bound to find an exit eventually!"

Taizen nodded. "I'm afraid that's all we can do."

"All right," Cyrus said in agreement. "Let's keep moving, then. We'll find a way out of here soon enough. We may also be able to figure out what the real connection between Caladbolg and the Seraphim Society."

"Right!" Kyra replied as the three SeeDs continued running down the corridors of the underground bunker. Resistance seemed to lighten up as Cyrus stopped his team in front of what looked like a command post, illuminated only by the light of an online computer screen.

"Hold up," Cyrus ordered. "Maybe we don't have to run around in circles anymore. That computer in there's has to have some schematics of the bunker. Cover me while I see what I can pull up."

"Understood," Taizen simply replied as he readied Griffin's Heart for any Caladbolg strike team. Kyra said nothing, but nodded as she tensed up into her battle stance, her Demon Fangs and Soul Crushers held up and ready for a fight.

Cyrus, meanwhile, dashed into the command post and started searching the computer for any valuable information. As he expected, the system was secured by a high-end encryption program, one that would take even a trained hacker hours to crack.

Fortunately, the scythe-wielder had a secret weapon.

Cyrus reached into his vest and pulled out a data disk that his father had developed. He inserted the disk into the terminal, and within seconds the disk's network infiltration virus obliterated the safeguards and granted the SeeD access. Minutes later, Cyrus was able to locate a detailed floor plan of the entire bunker…including exits. However, something else on the floor plan caught his eye: a large open space thirty feet tall that had no designations or anything that would suggest what was being stored there.

"What could it be…?" Cyrus asked himself as he printed off the floor plan and grabbed it and his data disk. He pocketed both as he ran out to join his teammates.

"Find anything?" Kyra asked as she sheathed her Demon Fangs.

"I printed out the entire layout for this bunker. Based on our current position, we're a stone's throw away from an exit. However…"

Cyrus then pulled out the floor plan and pointed to the mysterious open space. "This…this bothers me. I don't know what's there if anything, but I want to check it out. If there's something in there that explains the connection between Caladbolg and the Seraphim Society…"

"…It might be there," Taizen finished. "If such evidence can be found there, it would be the worth the extra risk. I will go on your order, Captain."

"I agree," Kyra piped up. "Besides, it gives us a chance to punish some more Caladbolg members. I'm in!"

Cyrus nodded approvingly as he led his team down another series of corridors. Again, Caladbolg troops tried to halt their advance at every opportunity, but the combined strength of the SeeDs was too much for the rebels to handle as they were struck down one after another. Blood spilled, screams echoed, and men breathed their last as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen continued pushing forward.

Finally, after fighting through what seemed like Hell, the SeeD team made to a heavily-sealed door that, according to the schematics, led into the mystery room. Even with their enhanced strength, none of the SeeDs could so much as budge the door open. After several minutes of trying force and getting nowhere, Cyrus threw his hands up in disgust.

"You have to be kidding me! None of us can open this door?"

"So it seems," Taizen simply stated.

"Screw that!" Kyra retorted. "Step back…something like this needs a woman's touch."

Confused, Cyrus and Taizen backed away from the door as Kyra took a deep breath. She then held out her palm and shouted, "Blizzara!" Seconds later, the temperature in the hallway dropped quickly as the door became encased in ice. Once the spell was finished, Kyra calmly walked up to the newly-frozen door and took yet another deep breath. She then brought her right fist up, reeled back, and struck the door with a powerful blow.

The force of Kyra's punch not only shattered the ice but the weakened door as well. The crushed metal and ice fell to the ground in a heap as Kyra simply turned to her male counterparts and said, "Well, boys? What are you waiting for? Let's get going!"

Cyrus shook his head and smiled as he took the first step into the room. It was dark save for a yellow light far off in the center of the room. Curious, Cyrus led his teammates through the shadows and towards the light. The illumination was so bright that Cyrus couldn't make out what was making the light. Cyrus could only keep moving forward, driving by curiosity. However, the scythe wielder couldn't shake the feeling that something was out there in the dark, watching them…

Finally, after a couple of minutes walking in the darkness, Cyrus and his friends had gotten close enough to get a better look at the source of the light. What they saw, however, troubled them.

"Dear Hyne…what the hell is this?" Kyra whispered, completely in shock.

"This is obscene," Taizen added in a disgusted tone.

"Those bastards," Cyrus murmured, barely able to contain his rage. "Is this what that bitch was talking about…what the Seraphim Society has done?! Damn them…damn them all!"

Looming in front of the SeeDs were three Guardian Forces encased in yellow crystals, illuminated by a series of ancient runes. One GF was a scantily-clad female with long blonde hair that looked like angel's wings. The second was a pair of GFs, minotaurs carrying shields and maces. The third and largest was an aquamarine sea serpent with shimmering scales and a face that spoke of the pain and suffering it must have endured as a prisoner of the Seraphim Society

"Siren, the Minotaur Brothers, and Leviathan…" Cyrus finally said. "So, this is where they've been."

"There had been rumors that these GFs had gone missing. But I never imagined them to be true, nor did I ever expect this to be their fate," Taizen explained.

"Those motherfuckers!" Kyra swore. "This is the Seraphim Society's idea of 'serving Hyne?!' How could they do this? And how could that bitch Sayana ever agreed to this?!"

"The price of unchecked ambition," Cyrus said in a disturbingly calm voice. Without saying another word, he raised his hand up and held his palm out in front of Leviathan. Taizen immediately realized what Cyrus was attempting to do as he moved to block his sight of the Protector of the Sea.

"Cyrus, stop! You can't draw out Leviathan! It's too risky."

Cyrus, completely ignoring Taizen's warnings, simply replied, "Get out of my way, Tai. I'm drawing Leviathan out of that crystal and junctioning him to me. Then, I'm going to draw out the others."

"Are you serious?" Kyra spoke up. "Cyrus, you know that junctioning with more than one GF is extremely risky. The mental damage alone could break you!"

"You don't think I know that?" Cyrus snapped back. "But I'm going to draw out the GFs and stop this madness. I can't leave them here in the clutches of the Seraphim Society and Caladbolg. I won't allow this travesty…this perversion to continue any longer! So, Tai…please, step aside."

Taizen, realizing the depth of Cyrus's determination, nodded reluctantly. "Very well. But you are not drawing them all out on your own. Kyra and I will draw out one as well. If we must take this risk, we'll take it together."

"I couldn't agree more," Kyra said as she walked up in front of Siren. "So, are we going to do this, or just stand here and think about it some more?"

Cyrus didn't want his friends to take this risk, but knowing them like he did he realized there wasn't anything he could say to change their mind. "Okay. We each try drawing one. Just like a magic spell…only bigger."

"Right," both Kyra and Taizen said in unison as Kyra pointed her palm at Siren and Taizen did the same in front of the Brothers Sacred and Minotaur. With his view now unobstructed, Cyrus again pointed his right palm at Leviathan. Then, gathering all the energy he could, he reached out to the GF with his spirit.

The crystal imprisoning Leviathan began to pulse, almost as if it was trying to prevent Cyrus from drawing out the sea serpent. The resistance of this rune-covered prison was met with greater effort on Cyrus's part as he continued to reach out with more and more energy. The struggle between the SeeD and the crystal continued back and forth until Leviathan's body became illuminated in blue light. Between the scythe wielder and the water GF, the crystal began to shutter and shake before cracks started to show. Seconds later, the crystal shattered, freeing Leviathan and allowing Cyrus to draw him into his mind.

As Cyrus's arm was once branded with a tribal symbol, this time one of the Protector of the Sea, the immense influx of energy immediately disoriented the SeeD. As he struggled to look at his teammates, he could see that Kyra and Taizen had both been successful in drawing out their respective GFs and were suffering the same side effects. Finally, after a minute spent organizing his thoughts, Cyrus regained his footing and looked back at the shattered crystal.

"_Did it work?" _Cyrus thought.

"_**It did," **_a calm and regal voice reverberated in Cyrus's mind. _**"Thank you for freeing us, young warrior."**_

"_Leviathan? Is that you? And where's Ifrit?"_

"_**Calm yourself," **_Leviathan said reassuringly. _**"Ifrit is still recovering from his injuries. He's in another part of your mind regaining his strength. Until then, allow me to repay your kindness and valor by lending you my power."**_

Cyrus smiled as his heartbeat returned to normal. _"I would be honored, Leviathan. But I have to know…what is the Seraphim Society? Where do their powers come from? And how and why did they imprison you and the other GFs?"_

"_**I will explain as much as I can as soon as I am able. But not now…danger approaches from above."**_

Leviathan's words confused Cyrus as an emergency generator activated the room's fluorescent ceiling lights…likely a result of freeing the GFs. Remembering Leviathan's words, Cyrus looked up to the ceiling, searching for anything that would be considered a threat.

Unfortunately for the SeeD and his team, he found one.

There, hanging on the ceiling thirty feet above was a black mech that resembled a four-legged spider. The mech, finally noticing the SeeD team, released its grip and used a series of thrusters to turn itself right side up and landed on the floor. Cyrus swore vehemently as he reached for Inferno.

Kyra and Taizen reached for their weapons as well as Kyra quietly asked, "Is that what I think it is, Cyrus?"

"Yeah…" Cyrus whispered back. "The most lethal combat mech that Galbadia and my father ever produced…the 'Black Widow,' the X-ATM092."

"This does not bode well," Taizen said as he held Griffin's Heart tightly in front of him. "Drawing the GFs took quite a lot out of us, and if the rumors are true about the X-ATM092…"

"They are," Cyrus confirmed. "Not only is it strong and armed to the teeth, but it houses a series of self-repair protocols. Knock it down and it'll get right back up. It was designed to be the ultimate mechanical predator: never stopping, never yielding until its target was obliterated."

"And now we have to scrap it," Kyra said as she unsheathed her Demon Fangs. "Well, I always am up for a good fight."

Taizen simply replied, "Then you'll enjoy this quite a bit, I'd imagine. Regardless, this machine stands in the way of our mission and goals."

"And thus it must fall," Cyrus affirmed. He settled down into his battle stance as he quietly said, "Hit it with everything you have. Hold nothing back."

Kyra and Taizen nodded as the Black Widow opened its "mandible" and charged up for a Ray Bomb. Cyrus, knowing full well what he was up against, set aside his fear and placed his faith in his new GF and his teammates as he rushed into battle with the X-ATM092…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Oh, no! The spider mech's back and meaner than ever? How will our heroes survive the onslaught of the X-ATM092? And will they be able to blow the base to hell? Can I get my BIG BOOM?! Chapter 20 holds the answers!**

**Hope you don't mind the addition of other GFs...and hope the plot isn't becoming to much of a hack. I welcome your feedback, and thanks to all those who've reviewed in the past and those I haven't heard back from. Let's shoot past 50, people!**

**_*KNOCK, KNOCK*_**

Me: Oh, for Truth's sake! Who could it be this time?

*grabs cane...just to be safe. walks up to the door and opens it*

_**Visitor: Hello, Truth! What's happening?**_

_** *breathes a sigh of relief***_

Me: Oh, it's you! For a minute, I thought you were someone else. Good to see you again, Duelist of Dawn!

*angelic fanfare plays in the background. Duelist looks to the sky, confused*

_**Duelist of Dawn: Was there angelic fanfare playing after you said my name?**_

_**Me: Yeah, don't worry about that. They always do that whenever one of my friends comes over to visit. Not exactly sure why...anyway, welcome to the Exile's Lair! And again, thanks a million for the security hookup!**_

_**Duelist of Dawn: No problem, after hearing Santa of all people was giving you heat, I decided to return the favor. Machina sends his regards, he's grabbing notes for my next few chapters of my story.**_

_**Me: That Machina, always hard at work. You found yourself one hell of a worker when you hired him. And the issue between me and Santa is...complicated. But at least now I don't have to worry about him barging into my apartment, destroying my stuff, and trying to kill me. It makes the journey down the Long and Winding Road a little easier.**_

_**Duelist of Dawn: Yeah he's cool people. Glad to see your story staying strong! And nice crib by the way!**_

_**Me: Thanks! You'd be surprised what you can find just wandering around. Got the bigscreen HD TV, the Xbox 360, and my old reliable PS1 hooked up and ready to go! And I'm really pleased with how both "The Rise of the Repentant" and "When Gods Rise Again" are going. But you...your stories are just kicking uber amounts of ass! Especially the "Melodies of Life Chronicles!"**_

**_Duelist of Dawn: Never knew a Final Fantasy 9 re-novelization with added characters would do so well. Also later in the story, I'm adding another OC serving as a love interest to Ron. And I had Katherine the Black Rose help me out with that, need a woman's touch, if you catch my drift._**

_**Me: It's always nice to have friends to walk beside you and lend you a hand when needed. And Katherine the Black Rose is good people (even though she completely DESTROYED me on one of my reviews of her story). But enough talk about work, it's time to celebrate! With Kringle out of my life, I can finally relax and enjoy the journey. What do you say we bounce on out of here? I know this great spot where the drinks are cold, the women are hot, and the music is kickin'!**_

_**Duelist of Dawn: Cool! You gotta ride? You know I do.**_

_**Me: Hey, I'm the Exile, remember? I've always got a means to travel down that Long and Winding Road. Just let me grab my good cloak and finish off this chapter with a Review Beg Joke and I'll be good to go!**_

_**Duelist of Dawn: Alrighty!**_

**So, I'm off to party with my man The Duelist of Dawn (check out his story "Melodies of Life Chronicles," it's an excellent story!). So leave a review. THE POWER OF THE EXILE AND THE DUELIST COMPELS YOU!!!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	20. Chapter 20

The X-ATM092 opened fired on Cyrus with its Ray Bomb, a powerful energy beam that caused the very earth to split apart and obliterate anything that was unfortunate enough to be standing on it. Cyrus, however, knew what the Black Widow's attack was capable of and cast a Float spell on himself. The extra lift provided by the spell allowed Cyrus to jump up high enough to dodge the beam and the subsequence explosion. Kyra and Taizen took advantage of the distraction their captain had provided and cast a series of Thundara spells directly into the Black Widow's blinking red sensor eyes.

The electrical jolts hobbled the mech slightly, but its self-repair protocols immediately kicked in to compensate. The mech quickly righted itself and, after crossing its thin pincer-like frontal claws, rushed Kyra and Taizen with the intent on crushing them against the wall. Taizen, calling upon both his natural and junctioned strength, used Griffin's Heart to block the Black Widow's advance and hold it back. The quiet monolith quickly realized that he wouldn't be able to hold on for very long as the X-ATM092 charged up its engines and cranked up the horsepower.

Thankfully for Taizen, Cyrus jumped back into the fray, using his Float status to vault onto the Black Widow's back and drive Inferno's blade deep into the mech. The Black Widow, realizing the danger its unwanted passenger posed, immediately let up on Taizen and began to violently thrash left and right in an attempt to buck Cyrus off. Cyrus hung onto Inferno for dear life as he charged up a Thundara spell of his own. Once fully charged, he sent the spell down Inferno and directly into the X-ATM092. The lightning spell wreaked havoc with the mech's internal components as it slowly stopped thrashing and fell hard to the ground, twitching feverishly.

Cyrus, without hesitating, jumped down off the Black Widow and immediately joined back up with his teammates. Still gasping for breath, Cyrus shouted, "Quick! Hit it with more lightning magic!"

"But Cyrus…" Taizen said before Cyrus interrupted him.

"No, damn it! We only have a few seconds before it…"

As Cyrus spoke, the servos and systems inside the X-ATM092 rebooted and the spider mech rose back onto its feet. Both Kyra and Taizen looked on in shock as Cyrus angrily explained:

"I told you. Just knocking it down's not good enough. Unless we completely scrap it, the Black Widow's just going to keep getting back up and coming back for more."

"Son of a…" Kyra said as she brought her fists up. "Cyrus, why'd your father ever build something like this?"

"I'll be sure to ask him that," Cyrus replied with a snarl as he dropped into his ready stance. Inside his mind, he tried to come up with a way to permanently stop this vicious mech, but nothing he could conjure up seemed feasible. Cyrus was still thinking as the fully-repaired X-ATM092 quickly lunged towards the trio of SeeDs.

"Cyrus, Kyra! Watch out!" Taizen warned as the spider mech attempted to bring one of its massive legs down on top of Cyrus and Kyra. Cyrus, calling on whatever reserves he had, used Inferno to block the Black Widow's bone-crushing assault. As Cyrus struggled to keep the leg from crashing down, Kyra jumped up onto the X-ATM092's limb and cast Blizzara on it. Then, much the same way she handled the door, Kyra brought her Soul Crushers down hard on the frozen section of the mech's leg. However, the Black Widow was made of sturdier stuff than the door as Kyra was only able to make a dent in the mech's armor. Still, it was enough to force the mechanical menace to back off its assault as it released Cyrus from the pressure and Kyra jumped off the limb to check on her captain.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Kyra swore as the Black Widow charged up another Ray Bomb. "What's it going to take to shut this thing down permanently?!"

Cyrus shook his head, signifying that he wasn't sure. As he got back onto his feet, however, something behind the X-ATM092 caught his eye…a stockpile of highly volatile fuel containers.

"Taizen!" Cyrus shouted to his muscle-bound teammate. "Summon the Brothers! Have them flip that thing on its back!"

Taizen didn't understand what Cyrus had in mind, but he focused his energy and summoned the Brothers Sacred and Minotaur. The two longtime crypt guardians burst up from the earth, looked at one another and for reasons unknown felt the need to strike up a conversation.

"YO, BRO! WHAT THE HECK IS THIS PLACE? AND…AND HOW'D WE END UP HERE!" the larger brother, Sacred, said in an incredibly loud and booming voice.

"are you that big of an idiot, sacred?" the smaller and elder brother Minotaur replied in a tone just above a whisper. "you honestly don't remember those white-robe wearing creeps who jumped us in the tomb of the unknown king?"

"OH YEAH! BUT, WHERE ARE WE NOW? AND WHO THE HECK SUMMONED US?"

"I did," Taizen simply replied. "And if you two are done, we have a situation here. The enemy is over there, and I need your strength to flip it on its back."

"hmm. so, you're our new summoner? interesting." Minotaur stated in acknowledgment. "all right, we'll handle it. sacred, let's get to work."

"GOT IT, BRO!" Sacred shouted excitedly as he and his brother leapt towards the spider mech. The X-ATM092, switching its target from the SeeDs to the GFs, launched its Ray Bomb right at the feet of the Brothers. Sacred and Minotaur, however, didn't seem to care as the ground detonated below him and send pieces of earth and concrete flying into the air. The two GFs simply stood there and took it head on, acting as though they couldn't feel a thing.

"BWAHAHAHA! STUPID MACHINE!" Sacred exclaimed. "THAT ATTACK'S NOT GOING TO WORK ON US! THE EARTH GIVES US OUR STRENGTH!"

"stop taunting that thing and go left," Minotaur quietly ordered.

"…YES, BRO," Sacred said with his head hung low as he went to the mech's left and Minotaur went to the right. Once they were in position, both brothers dug their hands deep into the ground and lifted a huge chunk of concrete with the X-ATM092 on top. Then, in an instant, the Brothers flipped the chunk and spider mech over as the Black Widow landed hard on its back.

"All right, now it's my turn!" Cyrus shouted. "Leviathan, come!"

The once-dry ground was soon covered with knee-deep water as a shadow of a serpent swam furiously through the water. Once it reached Cyrus, it burst out from the surface, revealing itself to be none other than the Sea Protector Leviathan. His eyes met his summoner's as he asked, "What would you have me do, young warrior?"

Cyrus smirked. "See the Black Widow? How about sending it towards those barrels on the other side of the room with a Tsunami?"

"Very well," Leviathan calmly said as he focused his energy on raising up a mountain from the floor. As he rode his self-made mountain up, he looked down at the humans and GF Brothers and simply stated, "You may want to get out of the way."

The five ground-bound fighters immediately followed Leviathan's advice as they retreated behind the stone monolith that the sea serpent had constructed. The X-ATM092 continued to struggle as Leviathan turned his flesh and bone into a gigantic waterfall. The water cascaded down the hillside as it continued gaining speed and momentum. Once the water reached the bottom, it careened towards the Black Widow and washed the toppled mech back across the room and into the fuel containers. Once the Tsunami had subsided, the knee-deep water disappeared along with the mountain.

"All right…" Cyrus stated with anticipation. "Let's finish this. Kyra, you're up. Send this mech to Hell."

"With pleasure," Kyra said as she gathered electrical energy at her fingertips. "Thunder!"

Despite it being a low-level lightning spell, Kyra's Thunder hit the soaked X-ATM092 hard. It also hit its intended target as it ignited the fuel tanks and caused an enormous explosion. The Black Widow had no chance as it was consumed by a massive detonation, spreading searing-hot flames all over its mechanical body and ripping it apart with its force. Finally, the unrelenting Galbadian war machine surrendered…

As the fuel continued to ignite and explode, Cyrus immediately realized that it was becoming too big for the bunker to handle. "Heads up! That explosion's going to bring this whole base down around our ears if we don't get the hell out of here!"

"leave that to us," Minotaur calmly offered as he leapt towards Kyra and scooped her up bridal-style. In spite of Kyra's demands to be released, Minotaur simply jumped up and rammed himself into the ceiling, using his earth-based strength and thick skull to bore a hole out to the surface.

"DAMN, BRO! WAY TO MAKE AN EXIT! GUESS THAT MEANS I GOT TO TAKE YOU TWO OUT WITH ME!" Sacred shouted as he grabbed both Cyrus and Taizen and tucked them under his arms. Like his brother, he too leapt up and burrowed his way out of the bunker as the explosion grew larger and more powerful. The Brothers burst out of the ground and carried the SeeDs a safe distance away. Then, the five of them watched silently as the ruined Galbadian Missile Base exploded once again and sank deep into the ground.

"well, that takes care of that," Minotaur simply stated. "call us if you need us, boss."

With that, the Brothers vanished and returned to Taizen's mind. As Cyrus and his team watched in awe as the missile base was reduced to rubble yet again, Kyra finally broke the silence by saying:

"So, what do we do now?"

Cyrus, without so much as an inkling of emotion, simply replied, "We're heading back to Deling City and reporting to President Caraway. Then, we're going to report to Commander Leonhart. And then, we're going to find Zekorev, Sayana, and Ezerath and bring Caladbolg and the Seraphim Society to their knees."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Kyra said with a fiery look in her eyes. Taizen simply grunted and nodded as the three SeeDs headed towards where they had hidden their vehicle. Once they found it and got it running, they climbed in as Taizen took the wheel and drove towards the highway leading to the capitol.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Several hours later, the SeeDs made it to the outer gates of Deling City. To Cyrus's horror, the walls of the Galbadian capitol had crumbled and fallen down. The sounds of gunfire and clashing steel echoed in the distance.

"It would seem that Caladbolg has decided to start the coup," Taizen said, stating the obvious.

"Yeah," Cyrus replied, somewhat dejected. He then regained his composure as he continued, "All right, we're still under contract with President Caraway, so our first priority is to find him and make sure he's safe. Chances are he's holed up in the Presidential Palace. Let's move it, people!"

"Got it!" Kyra said as she and Taizen followed their captain into the city. As they made their way deeper and deeper into the city, they could see Caladbolg rebels fighting with Galbadian soldiers in both melee combat as well as firefights. Some Caladbolg troopers tried to stop the SeeD team, but they were quickly struck down and forgotten about as Cyrus and his friends continued moving forward.

Cyrus and his friends had made it to the park next to the Arch of Triumph as they were stopped by the sound of two soldiers bickering…well, one in particular. As Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen moved closer to investigate, they discovered that the voices belonged to two Galbadian soldiers: one blue-clad grunt and a red-garbed officer.

"Damn it, Wedge!" the officer barked. "What in the hell are we doing out here? There aren't any Caladbolg rebels or their mechs! You screwed up again!"

"Begging your pardon, Sergeant Biggs," the grunt called Wedge replied with a salute, "but it was your idea to come to the park!"

"W-w-well, you should have stopped me, you idiot!" Biggs shouted in response. "No paycheck for you this week!"

Wedge shook his head in disbelief. "Why didn't I stay home today?"

"Hey! You two!" Cyrus said, finally ending the moronic conversation. "Why are you wasting time chatting?"

"And who the hell are you supposed to be, kid?" Biggs shouted back.

"We're SeeDs, contracted by President Caraway," Cyrus answered in an authoritative tone. "So how about you pull your thumbs out of your asses and tell me what the hell is going on?"

"SeeDs?!" Biggs shouted as he started to convulse in anger. "It's because of SeeDs like you that I'm nothing more than a lowly sergeant! I used to be a major…a respective officer! And if you think I'm going get browbeaten by you, well…"

Biggs never finished his sentence as Kyra shut him up with a roundhouse kick to the temple. As the sergeant fell to the ground hard, Cyrus turned to Wedge who immediately answered:

"The Caladbolg Militia started their assault an hour ago. They attacked en masse from several different points, and they've been using the sewer system to bypass our defenses. The President is being guarded at the Presidential Palace, but last I heard they were having trouble fighting off Caladbolg's forces…so I can't say if he's still there or not."

"Have you seen Ambassador Malachi or anybody wearing a white robe?" Cyrus implored with a sense of urgency.

"Ambassador Malachi?" Wedge repeated, legitimately confused. "There have been reports that her limo has been seen in the city. And there are rumors of magic-capable individuals wearing white robes and aiding the Caladbolg Militia. If I may ask, what is going on, sir?"

Cyrus took a deep breath before explaining, "Sayana Malachi is a traitor. She's using Caladbolg and Zekorev to usurp the presidency for herself. And the white-robed magic users are members of a Hyne cult called the Seraphim Society. I don't know how they can use magic, but I plan on finding out. You said President Caraway's at the Palace?"

Wedge nodded. "That's what I heard. Why? You can't be thinking of going there yourself…can you?"

Cyrus smirked as he nodded. "We're under contract, remember? And we don't get paid if Caraway gets killed. Get in contact with a platoon and have the commanding officer send reinforcements to the Presidential Palace. The three of us are going in."

Wedge couldn't believe what he was hearing, but he nodded as he replied, "All right. Good luck…and sorry about Sergeant Biggs's behavior."

"No problem. Good luck to you as well," Cyrus shot back as he and his teammates sprinted towards the Presidential Palace, leaving Biggs and Wedge behind. After fifteen minutes of running and fighting off Caladbolg troopers and combat mechs, the trio finally made it to the Palace's front gates. The wall surrounding the Palace showed signs of siege by gunfire and explosions as Cyrus took Inferno in his hands and used the scythe to slice open the gates, granting the team access to the inner grounds.

The three SeeDs continued running past the front gardens and towards the main entrance. To Cyrus's surprise, there were no Galbadian troopers or Caladbolg militiamen waiting for them. Once he reached the door leading into the Palace, he finally understood why.

The doors opened as two men in white robes walked calmly out and stood in front of Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen. Then, they moved aside as a familiar figure walked out in-between the cultists. He had a wild look in his eyes as he ran his fingers through his short-cut silver-dyed hair as he said in an arrogant tone:

"Long time no see, Cy. Never thought I'd get my rematch under these conditions."

Cyrus, seething in anger, could only growl as he muttered the name of this newest traitor:

"Rizo…"

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**What the fuck? Rizo? Well, didn't see that coming, did ya? (Insert sarcasm here) But why is Rizo there? Is he just a Mama's boy, or is there something else? Find out in Chapter 21!**

**50 reviews! Oh, hell yeah!**

**Thanks to The Duelist of Dawn (great time at the "usual spot," BTW) and Ally Todd for pushing me over the top. Thanks guys, I really appreciate it! Now, let's go for 100!**

**They say the pen's mightier than the sword. But guess what? The keyboard's mightier than the pen and the sword combined! And the best way to use that weapon is to type me a review (after all, can't get to 100 reviews without your help!)**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	21. Chapter 21

"Rizo…"

"How long's it been, Cy?" Rizo said with an arrogant grin. "About a week since we graduated? Man, gotta be honest…you look like hell."

"What the hell are you doing here, Rizo?" Kyra asked as she brought her Soul Crushers up like she was ready to fight. "And why are you working with the Seraphim Society?"

"What? Can't a son help his mother out, sweetheart?"

Kyra was ready to punch Rizo's lights out after that remark. Rizo cackled at Kyra's reaction and continued, "Relax, baby. I know you're just resisting my charm and all, but there's no need to get all flustered about it!"

"Out of my way, Rizo," Cyrus quietly said as he grabbed Inferno and rested its shaft horizontally on his shoulders.

"Hey, what the hell, Cy? You trying to wreck my moment, here?" Rizo retorted. "Truth be told, I couldn't care less what my mother does. I just see this as an opportunity."

"An opportunity? For what?" Taizen inquired as his hand went for Griffin's Heart's hilt.

"For power and glory, of course!" Rizo said as if Taizen had just asked him a completely stupid question. "Why do you think I bothered attending Garden in the first place? It's all about power…those who have it rule those who don't. And now that I have all the power Garden has to offer, I don't need this SeeD crap anymore."

"'SeeD crap?'" Cyrus replied, anger slowly creeping into his voice. "That's all that meant to you?"

"Oh, and I suppose you're one of those hard-line honor and duty types, huh Cy? Don't make me laugh. Honor and duty and ten Gil will get you a cup of coffee. Strength is the only thing that matters…the only thing people will respect. And that's why I'm here."

Rizo started walking towards the SeeD trio as he unsheathed his Gemini Blood Swords. "When my mother told me about her plans and the people she was working with, I saw an opportunity to take my piece of the pie. Namely, I'll looking to gain whatever power the Seraphim Society has to offer. Unfortunately for you, that means you gotta die!"

Rizo finished his sentence with a blazingly fast lunge at Cyrus, who stopped Rizo's swords with Inferno's shaft. As he struggled to hold Rizo back, he shouted to his teammates, "What are you doing? Take out the cultists and get inside!"

"Say what? Cyrus, we're not leaving you alone out here!" Kyra protested.

"Go, damn it!" Cyrus ordered. "I'll take care of Rizo. Just get moving and find Caraway!"

Kyra was about to argue again until Taizen grabbed her arm and explained, "Cyrus is our captain, and he gave us an order. Besides, I have faith in him. Don't you?"

Despite her pissed-off expression, Kyra finally relented. "Fine, but you better not die, Cyrus! Kick that bastard's ass and come find us!"

Cyrus nodded as he forced Rizo back and settled into his ready stance. Likewise, Kyra and Taizen bum-rushed the Seraphim cultists and knock them out before they could retaliate with magic. As Kyra and Taizen ran inside the Palace, Rizo simply glanced back before facing Cyrus again.

"You know, they aren't half-bad Cy," Rizo said in a half-praising, half-mocking tone. "Especially that Kyra chick…nice."

"Shut up," Cyrus said through clenched teeth as his grip on Inferno tightened.

"Oh?" Rizo replied quizzically. "Have you already laid claim to that lovely lady? Well, too bad…for you that is. There isn't a lady alive who can resist a Malachi man!"

"Shut up!" Cyrus swore as he rushed at Rizo with Inferno held high. He viciously brought the scythe blade down as Rizo used both his blades to block the strike. Surprisingly, he smiled as he said just above a whisper:

"Good, get angry. I don't want the Cyrus that cheated at the Dueling Circle…I want the real Cyrus Ranto. Stop being such a sissy about it and fight me. Come on, Cy…give me the challenge I know you can bring me!"

With that, Rizo parried Cyrus's attack and started attacking with quick slashes with both of his blood swords. Cyrus, knowing full well how fast Rizo's attacks were, matched his speed with equally quick blocks with Inferno. After a minute of playing defense, Cyrus decided to switch gears as he used Inferno's blade to block and push Rizo's swords to the left as he used his scythe's staff to strike Rizo's chest. As Rizo tried to catch his breath, Cyrus took to the offensive with large, powerful swipes with Inferno. It took everything Rizo had to stop his opponent's increasingly powerful blows from reaching their target.

Rizo, realizing he was in a bad way, retreated a few yards away as he conjured up dark energy into his clenched right hand. He pointed and opened his fist at Cyrus as he shouted, "Demi!"

Cyrus, immediately recognizing Rizo's strategy, retreated back far enough to avoid the gravity magic. After it finished its twisting and swirling and dissipated, Cyrus stared down Rizo with fire in his eyes. Rizo, meanwhile, couldn't stop cackling as he raised his hand high up into the air and shouted:

"You did learn, Cy! Nice…hate to think you'd fall for the same trick twice. Guess that means I can stop playing around and get down to business. The Seraphim Society won't give me what I want unless I bring you to your knees…and I know the perfect way to do it. Diablos! Get out here!"

With that, the familiar sphere formed above Rizo's head as Diablos oozed out of the bottom, spread his wings, and hovered above his summoner. Cyrus, contemplating what his next move was going to be, heard a familiar voice inside his head:

"_**Cyrus! Summon me!" **_Ifrit shouted from Cyrus's mind.

"_Are you sure, partner?"_Cyrus questioned the GF.

"_**Yes…my strength has returned. And I have something to say to Diablos. So please, let me do this."**_

Cyrus nodded. "All right. Ifrit, come forth!"

The now-familiar pillar of flames erupted from the ground, and once scattered to the winds it revealed the Demon Lord of Flames. Ifrit looked up at Diablos, sizing up his opponent before questioning the Dark Messenger.

"Diablos! Why do you stand against my summoner? Why side with those who capture and use us? Where is your pride, Master of Darkness and Time?"

Diablos, with a forlorn look on his face, replied in a gravely, menacing voice, "You know my reasons, Ifrit. The will of my summoner is all that matters…not my pride, not my desire. My summoner wishes the destruction of yours, and I will follow his command until he releases me or death comes to him."

Ifrit was dismayed at Diablos's willingness to submit, but nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Very well. If that is how it must be, then I must break you!"

With that, Ifrit conjured up a series of fireballs and telekinetically sent them flying through the air at Diablos. Diablos, with a wave of his hand, summoned a miniature black hole to swallow the fireballs and send them to another dimension. Enraged, Ifrit leapt into the air and hurled himself at Diablos, wrapping his arms around the Dark Messenger and driving him into the ground with incredible velocity.

Meanwhile, Rizo took advantage of the chaos and rushed Cyrus. Cyrus, immediately reacting to Rizo's latest assault, countered Rizo's rush by lunging at the swordsman himself. The two continued to exchange slashes and blows as their Guardian Forces continued their struggle in the background. Fire and gravity spells continued being cast and thrown around with utter abandoned as the mortal warriors and the immortal spirits kept fighting with everything they had.

Finally, after close to fifteen minutes of grueling conflict, all four combatants were suffering from exhaustion, as Cyrus and Rizo were using their respective weapons to keep themselves on their feet. Ifrit and Diablos, on the other hand, were both suffering from deep lacerations from claws and magical attacks as the Dark Messenger hovered several feet above Ifrit.

"Forgive me…" Diablos muttered as he raised his claw and summoned his ultimate attack: the enormous Demi spell called the "Dark Messenger." Ifrit, still suffering from the injuries from his previous encounter with the Seraphim acolyte, struggled to move or even cast magic to defend himself.

Cyrus, holding off another of Rizo's attacks, noticed that Ifrit wasn't able to move out of the way of Diablos's attack. Reacting quickly, he pushed Rizo aside and to the ground as he turned and pointed his open palm at Ifrit. Cyrus then focused his energy and shouted, "Fira!"

The fiery whirlwind surrounded Ifrit as the GF absorbed the spell and used it to heal his wounds. Then, without a second to spare, Ifrit jumped up into the air and dodged Diablos's Dark Messenger. Ifrit then responded by summoning his Hellfire and ramming it into Diablos, powering the demon to the ground and forcing him to retreat back to Rizo's mind.

Cyrus, however, didn't have time to enjoy his guardian's victory as he felt cold steel pierce his side from behind. Looking down, he saw the blade of one of Rizo's Gemini Blood Swords covered with his own blood. He turned his head and saw the smirking face of Rizo as he held his second blade up high, aiming to slice Cyrus's head clean off.

"Damn it, Cy. You just had to lose focus and kill the epicness, didn't you? Well, that's just disappointing. Not sure why the Seraphim Society thought you were worth the trouble. Hell, I figured handing them SeeD on a platter would be enough to satisfy those cultists."

"What…did you say?" Cyrus said, his voice a mixture of pain and rage.

Rizo shot Cyrus a mock-confused look. "You serious? Well, guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you…I told the Seraphim Society everything they needed to know to launch an attack on Balamb Garden. Like I said, I got what I wanted from Garden, so I really didn't care what happened to it. Chances are your precious school is nothing more than a smoldering husk…"

Cyrus had reached the limit of his patience. "You…you BASTARD! Kyra just asked me to kick you ass, but now? I'm going to KILL YOU!"

With that, Cyrus turned his body and the blade stuck inside it 180 degrees and faced Rizo. The arrogant swordsman looked on in shock as Cyrus grabbed a hold of Rizo and focused energy in his hand. He then whispered to Rizo, "Go to hell. FIRA!!!"

The energy in Cyrus's hand coalesced into flames as the Fira spell exploded, sending both fighters flying backwards with incredible speed. Fortunately for Cyrus, Ifrit leapt behind him and caught him before he landed on the ground. Rizo wasn't so fortunate, as his momentum send him flying into the wall surrounding the Presidential Palace grounds. His body hit the concrete barrier with a sickening splat as the wall cracked and splintered under the force of Cyrus's attack.

As Ifrit tended to his summoner, Cyrus was shocked to see Rizo stagger to his feet. His hair and clothes were a mess as he sheathed the Gemini Blood Sword he still had in his hand and croaked out, "Well, well…looks like neither of us are in any condition to continue. What say we finish this another time?"

With that said, Rizo staggered out of the front gate. Ifrit made a move to pursue him, but Cyrus held him back by saying, "No. There'll be another time. Right now, I have to find Kyra and Taizen."

"Then you had best let me heal you…partner," Ifrit quietly said as he drew upon Cyrus's reserve of Cure spells to heal the sword wound and restore Cyrus's energy. Once the wound had closed, Ifrit returned to Cyrus's mind as the scythe-wielding SeeD stood up and ran inside the Presidential Palace.

"Hang on," Cyrus muttered as he continued to run.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cyrus wasn't sure where President Caraway was holed up, but he could easily determine where Kyra and Taizen were heading by the trail of destroyed furniture, broken bodies, and general carnage. Cyrus continued to step over the corpses of unfortunate Caladbolg rebels and the occasional Seraphim cultist as the trail of destruction ended at what Cyrus recognized as one of the Palace's many conference rooms. Cyrus took a deep breath as he kicked the door down, only to be greeted by Griffin's Heart to his throat and Demon Fangs to his stomach.

"Cyrus!" Kyra exclaimed as both she and Taizen sheathed their respective blades. Kyra then noticed that Cyrus had been injured as she ran to help support him. "What happened? Where's Rizo?"

"Bastard ran away," Cyrus simply explained as he continued to lean on Kyra. "Looks like this just got a whole lot more complicated."

"That's quite the understatement, young man," the familiar voice of Fury Caraway shouted from the other side of the room. Cyrus turned to look over where Caraway was and recognized the man standing next to him. Despite the beating he had taken just minutes ago, he had to smile as he staggered over to greet that man.

He extended his hand and said in a respectful tone, "Good to see you again…Dad."

The older man returned Cyrus's grin and shook his hand. "Damn it, you look like hell…son."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Is there anything more heartwarming than a family reunion...in a city under siege? So Erik Ranto makes his grand appearance...but what's he doing with Caraway? Stay tuned for Chapter 22!**

**Man, so many reviews and so many people to thank! Not just for this story, but for my first story "The Rise of the Repentant." Can't believe that it's still getting traffic! Special thanks go to the Duelist of Dawn, Ally Todd, and the newest reviewers Hiiro Mizutani, Taeniaea, and butcherthegirl. You all are eight ways to awesome! Keep it up!**

**Don't fear the Reaper...unless you don't review. Otherwise, you should be scared shitless.**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	22. Chapter 22

Cyrus and Erik Ranto stood there for a full minute in that conference room with the sounds of battle in the background shaking hands with the same smirk on either of their faces. Finally, Cyrus broke the silence by asking in a less-respectful tone:

"So, what the hell are you doing here, Dad? The R & D lab's on the other side of town," Cyrus asked as he released his grip and gave his father back his hand.

The elder Ranto ran his fingers through his long, messy black hair and wiped it off on his worn and filthy gray wool overcoat. "Well, there's not much use for lab work in the middle of a siege. So once the fighting broke out, I figured Fury could use my spear and my help."

"Figures," Cyrus scoffed. "You just couldn't stay out of the brawl, could you?"

"Hey, don't give me that crap, kid!" Erik protested. "Had I not shown up with Nightshade and my bag of tricks, those Caladbolg rejects might've actually succeeded in killing the President of Galbadia. Hyne knows Fury can't keep his ass out of the fire for very long by himself."

"You do know I'm standing right here, right Erik?" Caraway chimed in with an annoyed tone.

"With all due respect Mr. President, this really doesn't have anything to do with you," Cyrus retorted before turning back to his father. "You really are an idiot sometimes, Dad. You're an engineer, not a soldier. And I don't care how good a spearman you are…it was way too risky to come here by yourself."

Erik laughed as he replied, "This coming from the SeeD who got his ass kicked even though he's a trained mercenary? I managed to get here by myself without a GF and not get as much as a scratch. What's your excuse, son?"

"My excuse? How about this: my team and I took on an entire base full of Caladbolg rebels and mechs…mechs that YOU designed, by the way. Then I had to fight an X-ATM092…again, that YOU designed. And finally I had to fight this asshole that was also junctioned with a GF. So with all due respect Dad, you can just go screw yourself!"

As the two Rantos stood there conversing, Kyra and Taizen simply stared at the whole exchange with somewhat confused looks. The really bizarre thing was that, despite the insults and arguments, Cyrus and his father didn't have angry or spiteful looks on their faces…in fact, they almost looked like they were enjoying exposing one another's faults. Finally, Kyra interrupted by saying, "Um, Cyrus? Is this really your dad?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Cyrus said with a sigh. "Kyra, Taizen…allow me to introduce Galbadia's foremost expert on chemistry and robotics, as well as the country's biggest prick: Erik Ranto. Looks like I kept the promise I never made to you after all, Kyra."

"Well, well…" Erik said as he turned his attention to Kyra. "Is this your girlfriend, Cyrus? She's quite lovely. Although I can't imagine what she sees in you…"

"Erik, as entertaining as this discourse is between you and your son, we do have other more pressing issues to deal with," Caraway interjected with an authoritative tone. "Caladbolg and their new allies are starting to gain ground here in Deling City. Whatever this 'Seraphim Society' is, their abilities and numbers were something I couldn't plan for. I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before Zekorev takes control of the majority of the capitol. How could this have happened?"

"I think I can answer that, Mr. President," Cyrus said, returning to a more-businesslike tone. "Ambassador Sayana Malachi is a traitor. She's the one who has been funding Caladbolg and providing them with state secrets. How she managed to form an alliance with the Seraphim Society is still a mystery, but right now the only thing that matters is that she has. We also have another problem…"

With that, Cyrus finished explaining everything he knew about the Seraphim Society, Rizo's betrayal, and what Rizo had told him about Balamb Garden. Taizen said nothing, but even his stoic face betrayed a sense of rage. Kyra, however, was nowhere near as reserved.

"That rat bastard! He betrayed not only us, but Balamb Garden as well? Cyrus, the next time we see him, I going to…"

"I know," Cyrus interrupted. "Trust me, he won't get away next time. But right now, we have to get out of here. If Caladbolg is moving as fast as the reports are saying, it's only a matter of time before they come to the Presidential Palace en force."

"Then it's a good thing I'm here instead of back at my lab," Erik said matter-of-factly. "I happen to know a secret escape route from the palace to a secret dock. There's a boat waiting there, and we can use that to reach Galbadia Garden!"

"Galbadia Garden, eh?" Caraway mused as he held his hand on his chin, thinking about what Erik had said. "Yes, I know the headmaster there, and he'll most likely grant me asylum. But Erik…we've been here for over an hour. Why did you wait until now to tell me about this?"

Erik scratched his head sheepishly as he explained, "Well, when you told me that one of the SeeDs you hired happened to be Cyrus, I wanted to believe he'd make it back here in time. Despite him being a disrespectful punk, he's tough and resourceful…just like his old man. I knew he'd come back and try to bail you out, so I didn't want to leave him wondering where you were and running around panicking and getting himself killed because of it."

"That's your reason? Dad, that's the lamest excuse I've ever heard," Cyrus said disapprovingly. He then lightened up his tone as he said, "Thanks, though."

"Don't sweat it," Erik said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "At any rate, now that we're all here, let's get the hell out of this room."

Erik turned to face the far wall and walked up towards a mounted candelabrum. He reached for it and pulled it down, which activated a mechanism that slid the wall to the left just enough to open up a narrow passageway. Erik smirked as he grabbed his spear from where it was sitting on the conference table. The weapon, which Erik called "Nightshade," was a six foot long spear with a large six-inch wide blade at the tip, technically making the weapon a naginata. Erik fastened the spear to his back with a similar magnetic sheath that his son used and explained:

"All right, this passageway leads to a series of caverns that lead out to the ocean. The boat should be docked there and ready to cast off. Only problem is that these caverns are home to some pretty nasty monsters…"

"If you're trying to scare us, it's not going to work, Dad," Cyrus said, cutting off Erik's sentence. "Whatever's down there is nothing compared to what we've had to deal with the last couple of days."

"Fine, but remember Cyrus…Rule Number 6…"

"…'Pride and overconfidence comes before the fall.' I know, I know. Let's just get moving."

Erik nodded as Cyrus took the lead with Kyra, Caraway, Taizen, and Erik following close behind in that order. Cyrus wanted to make sure that both his father and Caraway were shadowing one of his teammates for their own protection. The passageway turned into a flight of stairs as the group headed down deeper into the secret caverns.

Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, Cyrus and the others found themselves inside a large open cavern. The air was cool as the sounds of fluttering bat wings echoed off the stalactites. Cyrus, not knowing if they were regular bats or something else, instinctively reached for Inferno and shouldered the scythe.

"Honestly, Cyrus? A scythe? Why in the hell did you pick that as a weapon?" Erik asked as he walked up beside his son.

"Because it's something I can wield better than you can," Cyrus stated matter-of-factly.

"You wish," Erik said with a chuckle as he too grabbed his weapon and shouldered it. The sound of flapping wings grew louder as the source revealed itself to be several red bats. The large-mouthed flying monsters flew above the SeeDs as they swiftly dive-bombed them.

Erik brought Nightshade up to protect himself, but Cyrus simply smirked as he cast a high-powered Fira spell directly up into the air. The fiery twister incinerated the flock of red bats as they screeched in agony and fell to the cavern floor dead. As the Fira spell dissipated, Erik looked to his son and whispered, "Show-off."

Cyrus simply laughed as he and his father led Kyra, Taizen, and Caraway through the catacombs. Erik, having constructed the hidden passageway, knew how to navigate the caverns and pointed Cyrus in the right direction. Save for a few skirmishes with red bats and creeps (thin, black shadow-like monsters with an affinity for electrical attacks), the trek through the caves were fairly uneventful.

Finally, after several minutes of spelunking, Caraway, Erik, and the SeeDs made it to the hidden dock. Just as Erik had told them, there waiting for them was an old-style steel Galbadian naval gunboat. It was a flat vessel with a pair of 120 mm cannons on the bow for personal defense and hit-and run attacks, and its controls were stationed on the aft section. The boat had a pair of wing-like appendages sticking up from both its port and starboard sides and a large propeller-engine sticking out the back.

"Here she is…the 'Valeria,'" Erik said in an uncharacteristically somber tone.

"Dad…" Cyrus replied. "You named it after Mom."

Erik nodded. "You never got to know your mother, and that's one thing I always regretted. You remind me a lot of her sometimes, and…hey, do you hear something?"

Cyrus didn't at first, but seconds later he heard the distinct sound of metal clanking. It sounded like a giant suit of armor…

"What the hell is that?" Cyrus muttered to himself as he grabbed a hold of Inferno as his teammates and father prepared themselves for a fight. Seconds later, a Seraphim cultist stepped out from a connecting cavern and revealed himself to the group. Cyrus and Erik swore under their breath as the cultist calmly stated:

"We expected that you would take this path, President Caraway. It is the will of the Great Hyne and Sayana Malachi that you meet your end. Come with me, and I promise to make your demise swift and as painless as possible."

"Listen, you white-robe wearing jackass!" Cyrus shouted back. "I don't care who gave you your orders. We are leaving on that boat, and there's not a damn thing you can do to stop us. So let us go or get ready for a fight."

"I see," the cultist replied. "In that case, allow me to show you the power of a god. Iron Giant, come forth!"

The sound of clanking metal grew louder as its source revealed itself as an iron giant, a heavily-armored monstrosity carrying its own version of a zweihander. This monster was a rarity until the Lunar Cry seven years ago, and even then they were only found in Esthar.

"You have got to be shitting me," Kyra swore as she unsheathed her daggers. "How the hell is he controlling an iron giant?!"

"My power comes from the Great Hyne herself," the cultist explained as he backed out into the shadows. His voice rang clear as he continued, "Our order seeks to do her bidding and bring the world out of the chaos it finds itself in. The Great Hyne's will is our command, and it is for her that we must end your miserable lives…"

The Seraphim cultist's voice trailed off as he vanished into the catacombs. Meanwhile, the iron giant lifted its massive sword and rushed towards its targets. As the monster brought its sword down in an attempt to crush the mortals, Cyrus and Taizen used their weapons and strength to block the iron giant's assault.

"Damn it!" Cyrus shouted as he and Taizen used their combined power to force the iron giant back. Kyra joined her teammates as the iron giant regained its footing and gripped its sword with new conviction.

"This is a problem," Taizen muttered just loud enough for Cyrus and Kyra to hear him. "I don't think any of us have any gravity magic stocked, and anything else we use won't affect this monster in any significant way. And as for physical attacks…"

"Yeah, I know," Cyrus interrupted. "Any ideas?"

"You're over-thinking this, Cyrus!" Erik shouted. "Sure, that thing's tough, but it's not invincible. Its greatest strength is also its weakness!"

"_What the hell does that mean?" _Cyrus angrily thought as he mulled over what his father told him. As it finally hit him, Cyrus had to smile. "Of course! Kyra, summon Shiva. Have her aim her Diamond Dust on the deck. Taizen, get ready to hit that walking tin can with everything you got!"

"What are you planning, Cyrus?" Taizen asked as Kyra focused on summoning.

"Trust me, you'll see," Cyrus said with a smirk as Shiva materialized and summoned icy energy to her hands. She then reeled back and shouted, "Diamond Dust!" Seconds later, the blast of energy coated the surrounding deck in ice. The iron giant, not knowing what's going on, began to run towards the SeeDs, looking to pulverize them with a vicious left-handed punch.

However, the iron giant's running was halted thanks to the newly-slick deck floor. As it slid and fell to the deck, Cyrus nodded to Taizen as the both of them rushed the fallen monster and used both Griffin's Heart and Inferno to strike the iron giant and send it sliding across the deck. Finally, the two SeeDs gave the iron giant one more series of strikes to send it sliding off the deck and into the water. The iron giant sank like a metal weight quickly to the bottom of the ocean, without any hope of reaching the surface ever again.

Cyrus breathed a sigh of relief as his father walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder. "Not exactly what I had in mind, but you did all right, son."

"Thanks," Cyrus said as he reattached Inferno to its magnetic sheath. "Let's get on that boat and get the hell out of here. I have to find out what happened to Balamb Garden."

Erik nodded knowingly as he and Cyrus carefully led the rest of the group down the icy deck and onto the Valeria. Erik immediately headed for the boat's controls and piloted the vessel out of the dock and towards the sea. He then headed east towards Galbadia Garden as the sounds of war continued to echo from Deling City.

As his father continued to put distance between them and the Galbadian capitol, Cyrus stood on the deck, wondering just what the Seraphim Society was looking to gain from the coup and their relationship with Caladbolg. His mind still continued to ponder what Seraphim's ambitions were as the sun started to rise. Cyrus set aside his musings as he focused on the task at hand…protecting Caraway and returning to Balamb Garden.

"_The Seraphim Society will pay for what they have done…to my country and my Garden," _Cyrus swore to himself. He then added:

"…_and so will you, Rizo."_

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**So, an iron giant heads for Davy Jones' Locker and the gang's on the way to Galbadia Garden. Think they'll run into anyone familiar?**

**You guys...you guys are the best readers and reviewers an Exile could possibly ask for! Thanks goes to the Duelist of Dawn, Hiiro Mizutani, Ally Todd, ZantokXIII, ExtremeuGamer, and sallycoco for their reviews and favorites. I'm well on my way to 100 reviews, and I thank you all from the bottom of my Wayward heart!**

**Don't be a sheep in the wolves' den called "modern society." Let your voices be heard! If you need practice, try voicing your opinion of my story with a review! Remember, baby steps, people...**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	23. Chapter 23

Several hours after escaping Deling City, the Valeria finally made its way to a dock located several miles north of Galbadia Garden. Upon docking, Cyrus led his father, Caraway, and his teammates to where several Garden students were stationed by a rental car depot. Cyrus used some of his SeeD salary to pay for a vehicle as well as some fuel and climbed in along with the rest of his group. Taizen, as usual, sat in the driver's seat and drove the vehicle towards Garden.

Galbadia Garden was the largest academy in the Garden Alliance and specialized in military combat, technology, and strategy. Like Balamb Garden, Galbadia Garden was attached to a specialized docking platform to hold the mobile fortress in place. The massive Garden was shaped similar to Balamb Garden, but was larger in diameter and was red like the Estharian Ragnarok spacecraft. Seven years ago, the newly-mobile Galbadia Garden attacked the equally-mobile Balamb Garden over the wastelands of Centra in a clash between the G-Army and SeeD. The so-called "Battle of the Gardens" would prove to be a crucial battle in the Second Sorceress War, as it led to the transfer of Edea's powers to Rinoa Heartilly, the excavation of the Lunatic Pandora, and the revival of Sorceress Adel…

"We're here," Taizen said bluntly as he pulled their rental into an outdoor parking lot. It was empty save for a few other civilian vehicles here and there…no doubt belonging to family members visiting their children. Cyrus and his team climbed out and started walking to the Garden's front gate, followed closely by Erik and President Caraway.

Once they made it into the Garden and at the gated checkpoint, a pair of muscle-bound SeeD MPs ran to cut them off. They were carrying standard-issue G-Army machine guns and didn't hesitate to point them at the would-be visitors.

"Stop where you are!" one of the MPs ordered. "Who are you and what is your business?"

"My name is Cyrus Ranto. I'm a SeeD based out of Balamb Garden. My two teammates and I were hired by President Caraway here to deal with the Caladbolg insurgency. Unfortunately, Caladbolg led a successful assault on Deling City and we were forced to evacuate the President. We're here to request amnesty from Headmaster…"

"Silence! If you really are SeeDs, then you'd certainly know that it's against Garden Code to provide sanctuary for any foreign diplomats. Garden is sovereign territory, and I'll be damned if we…"

"Hey, hey, hey!" a cool, suave voice shouted from behind the MPs. "Now is that any way to treat guests?"

The MPs turned around as their headmaster walked up to them, decked out in a black leather overcoat with matching leather chaps. He wore a worn wide-brimmed hat over his long-brown ponytail, extenuated only by his cocky, lackadaisical grin. He casually waved at Cyrus and his group as the MPs saluted and attempted to explain themselves.

"H-headmaster Kinneas! These trespassers are demanding to be let in, and they want us to grant Galbadian President Fury Caraway political asylum!"

"And?"

The two MPs looked at one another, confused. Headmaster Kinneas simply shrugged and sighed as he continued, "Look, just let them through. I'll take care of 'em."

"Y-y-yes sir!" the MPs stammered with a salute as they stumbled over one another in an attempt to file out. Headmaster Kinneas simply shook his head as he graciously said, "Yeah, sorry about that, Caraway."

Caraway simply replied, "Nothing that I wouldn't expect from some third-rate sharpshooter, Kinneas."

Headmaster Kinneas laughed off Caraway's comment as he waved for Cyrus's group to follow him. Irvine Kinneas, in spite of Caraway's insults, was considered to be one of if not the best sharpshooters in the world. He was one of the six that helped lead SeeD against Sorceress Ultimecia and ultimately fought alongside Squall Leonhart and the others against Ultimecia during Time Compression. After the end of the Second Sorceress War, Irvine eventually returned to Galbadia Garden and, to the surprise of everyone who knew him, actually took up the mantle of Garden Headmaster. Since then, the laid-back ladies' man had worked hard to rebuild Galbadia Garden's prestige and honor and return the SeeD academy to prominence. Although there were some who thought that Kinneas didn't take his job seriously enough at times, he always managed to maintain Galbadia Garden's rigid discipline and military atmosphere.

After several minutes of walking through the central atrium and up a flight of stairs, Kinneas finally stopped outside of a conference room. He waved the group in as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen sat on one side of a small board room table as Caraway, Erik, and Kinneas sat opposite them.

Kinneas was the first to break the silence by asking, "So, do I have to ask why you're here, or should I just assume Caladbolg kicked your asses and you've come running to me for help?"

"Something like that," Erik admitted. "But it wasn't just Caladbolg. There were these creeps in white who could use magic. They called themselves…"

"…the Seraphim Society. Yeah, I know," Kinneas interrupted. "Squall told me he had a run-in with one of them a few days ago."

"Have you heard from Balamb Garden recently?" Cyrus asked, his voice seeping with anticipation.

Kinneas shook his head. "Afraid not. Last I heard from Squall was about five days ago. I've tried getting in contact with him because of this whole Caladbolg mess, but the communication lines must've been cut or something."

"I see…so you don't know if Balamb Garden's safe…"

Seeing the dejected look on Cyrus's face, Kinneas grinned and waved his hand in a sweeping gesture. "Relax, kid! Knowing Squall, I'm sure he's just going through another one of his famous 'silent treatments.' So, what's the plan, Caraway? You just going to hand over your country to some rebels and crash here?"

"Not quite," Caraway calmly answered. "I will get Galbadia back from Caladbolg and that traitor Malachi. But I am going to need your help. I want to hire Galbadia Garden to lead a counter-invasion of Deling City. What are your terms?"

Kinneas scratched the back of his head in disbelief. "Lemme get this straight: you want to hire my entire Garden to help you reestablish order in Galbadia? And you'll pay us?"

"Of course."

"All right, that works for me. Just give me a few days to get the troops organized and I'll have your city back in no time. After all, I couldn't bear to let down all of Deling City's lovely ladies!"

"Fine. That'll give us time to hammer out the contract," Caraway said in his usual even tone as he turned to face Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen. "As of right now, I release you from your contract with me. I will be sure to send Balamb Garden its payment once Deling City is retaken."

Cyrus nodded in acknowledgment. "Very well, Mr. President. In that case, since we're no longer under contract with the Galbadian Republic, my team and I are returning to Balamb. I have to know what happened to Balamb Garden and make my report to Commander Leonhart."

"Works for me," Kinneas said with a devil-may-care tone. "When you see Squall, tell 'em Irvine said hi!"

"I will. Thank you, Headmaster Kinneas," Cyrus said as he stood up and saluted his superior officer. Kyra and Taizen followed suit as Kinneas gave them a salute in return. Cyrus motioned for his team to follow him as Kinneas continued chatting with President Caraway. As the SeeD trio made their way to the staircase leading down, they were cut off by the sound of Erik shouting at them to stop.

"Dad, what is it this time?" Cyrus said with a hint of frustration as the elder Ranto finally caught up to his son.

"You forgot something," Erik said as he reached into his coat and pulled something out. He took his clenched fist and put something in Cyrus's hand. The scythe warrior opened his hand and saw a set of keys.

"The Valeria's yours now, Cyrus," Erik somberly explained. "She's fast, sturdy, and well-armed. The perfect marine assault vehicle for a SeeD."

"Dad…" Cyrus muttered, not knowing what to say. Erik, understanding fully what Cyrus was thinking, grabbed Cyrus's shoulder and looked into his son's eyes.

"Truth be told, I don't know what the Seraphim Society and Caladbolg's got planned, and I don't really care. All I know is that whatever they got in store for the world can't be good, especially after what you told me about the captured Guardian Forces. And I have a hunch that you and your friends are going to find a way to stop them. If my Valeria can help with that, then maybe…"

Cyrus carefully removed his father's hand from his shoulder and grasped it in his own. "Mom's death wasn't your fault, Dad. And my messed-up childhood wasn't your fault, either. If anything, I owe you for teaching me the skills I need to protect what matters most to me. So…thanks, you old bastard."

Both Rantos smiled as Erik shook his son's hand. "You're welcome, you little punk."

Erik then turned to Kyra and said, "Hey, Red! Think you can keep my son from doing anything excessively stupid?"

"Absolutely not," Kyra said with a grin. "But if you ask nicely enough, I'll try and keep him in one piece."

"Well, I guess that'll do," Erik relented as he let Cyrus's hand go and gave the three SeeDs a final wave goodbye. Cyrus, trying to hold back tears, stood up straight and gave his father an honorary SeeD salute. Erik nodded, his face showing the pride he had in his son.

A second later, both Rantos turned around and walked in opposite directions: the father heading back to the conference room and the son heading for Galbadia Garden's front gate. His friends at his side, Cyrus walked with renewed determination past the G-Garden cadets and SeeDs. His mind was made, and he had a new mission:

Learn the fate of Balamb Garden, and tear the Seraphim Society down…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In a dimly-lit room inside Deling City's Presidential Palace, five figures sat around a circular table. Two were officers of the Caladbolg Militia, one wore the white robe of the Seraphim Society, one was in tatters, and the lone female wore a black business suit. The woman was first to speak as she angrily asked,

"Zekorev! Am I to understand that you allowed the SeeDs to extradite Caraway to Galbadia Garden? How could you possibly let that happen?"

The man called Zekorev, a dark-skinned individual with gray eyes and even grayer hair cleared his throat before explaining, "With all due respect Ambassador Malachi, my forces were spread too thin to organize an effective assault on the Presidential Palace. It was my understanding that your son and the Seraphim Society would be enough to find and execute the general. They are the ones who failed, not my men or I."

"Don't go pinning this on me, you wannabe war hero!" the familiar voice of Rizo cried out in protest. "That piece of crap Cyrus Ranto caught me off-guard. We all make mistakes, after all. Trust me, it won't happen again."

"And I assure you, those of my order that failed to bring in the SeeDs and Caraway were tried and punished before the Great Hyne," the Seraphim member coolly added.

"Speaking of your vaunted order," Rizo interjected, "I think you owe me something. I basically handed over Balamb Garden on a silver platter…and if you want me to take out Cy I'm going to need more power."

"That's right," Sayana chimed in. "You promised to teach my son the secrets of the Seraphim Society. Don't tell me you plan on backing out of on our agreement…Ezerath."

Ezerath stroked his scarred chin as he calmly said, "Very well. We had agreed to share our knowledge with young Rizo in exchange for the death of the reaper. Since it is obvious he requires more strength to do so, another test is required."

"What test?" Rizo asked facetiously.

"To gain the power of the Great Hyne, one must be willing to sacrifice much. You must prove your loyalty to the Seraphim Society by cutting the ties that bind. For much of your life, you have relied on your mother to gain what power and influence you currently enjoy. To gain the power I and my brethren have been blessed with, you must sever that connection and move forward on your own."

"'Cut the ties that bind,' eh? Very well, I understand," Rizo said in an eerily calm tone as he unsheathed his lone Gemini Blood Sword and slowly approached his mother.

"Rizo, what are you doing?" Sayana asked as fear began to creep into her voice. "Rizo, I'm your mother! Rizo! RIZO!"

Sayana's final scream was cut short by a blade thrusting itself deep into her abdomen. The wound bled profusely as the life drained from Sayana's eyes until none was left. Rizo, without showing any emotion, removed his blade from his mother's gut as her body fell to the floor. Zekorev watched all this in shock as Rizo turned to Ezerath and said:

"My name is Rizo Malachi...and in exchange for your power, I'll sell my soul to the Seraphim Society."

"Then consider your soul sold," Ezerath replied as he turned and looked out the window and up towards the sky. He said nothing else as Zekorev and his lieutenant Serigo quickly left the room, leaving the power-hungry swordsman alone with the cultist and his conscience…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Whoa...did I really just write that? That's WAY heavy, even for me! But seriously, it's these types of plot twists that I feel keep the readers on their toes. Hopefully you all don't mind!**

**Thanks again to the Duelist of Dawn, BestInInfluence (welcome back!), Ally Todd, Hiiro Mizutani, sallycoco, and ExtremeuGamer. We're at 83 reviews...only 17 away from glory! Keep it up, my friends...keep it up! Also thanks to Rosalina Lancaster Leonhart and Mike Cremeans for favoriting my story. Feel free to let me know what you guys think at any time...good or bad! **

**Every man needs something to believe in...and the Exile believes he'll have some more reviews, please! (And a beer would be nice!)**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	24. Chapter 24

Three days after departing from Galbadia Garden, the Valeria and her crew docked at Balamb Harbor. Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen quickly disembarked and headed for the town's entrance, eager to learn what befell their beloved Garden.

However, when they reached the entrance to the town of Balamb, Cyrus and his friends noticed something missing towards the horizon…

"Balamb Garden's…missing?" Taizen noted in a confused tone.

Sure enough, Balamb Garden had indeed disappeared. The docking platform that once held the mobile fortress in place now stood empty, indicating that someone had activated its propulsion mechanism and moved Garden…but to where?

"Well, at least we know Garden's still in one piece," Kyra stated. "If it had been destroyed, there'd be some wreckage."

"True," Cyrus replied. "But who moved Garden…Commander Leonhart or the Seraphim Society? And why?"

"Excuse me, young man. Are you a student at Balamb Garden?"

Cyrus immediately turned around to face the source of the voice: a short, elderly woman using a cane to walk. Cyrus looked down into her eyes and answered, "Yes, I am. We're all SeeDs from Garden. Do you know what happened to the Garden?"

"Hmm, afraid not," the old woman replied. "But I do know that some of the students are still here in the town. I think they're all resting at the hotel. They seemed to have some pretty nasty injuries…"

"There are Garden students at the hotel?" Cyrus interrupted. "And they're alive?"

"Well, yes, but…"

"Forgive me, ma'am…but I have to hurry to the hotel! Thank you for your help!"

With that, Cyrus quickly bolted past the old woman, followed closely by Kyra and Taizen. The old woman huffed at Cyrus's impertinence and muttered to herself:

"Hmph! Kids these days! Always in a hurry…"

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Several minutes of running later, Cyrus and his team made it to the reception desk of the Balamb Hotel. The receptionist took her time organizing several unimportant-looking documents before finally turning to Cyrus and asking:

"Welcome. Will you be staying the night?"

"No, damn it! Look, are there some students from Garden staying here?"

"I'm sorry, but it's hotel policy to protect the privacy of all our guests…"

"Cyrus, may I?" Kyra said, clenching her fists.

Cyrus shook his head before turning back towards the receptionist. "Listen, I have to know where the SeeDs and SeeD cadets are staying. It's absolutely essential that I speak with them!"

"Again, sir, I can't disclose who may or may not be staying at our hotel. Now, would you and your group like a room for the night?"

"Argh!" Cyrus growled as he slammed his fist into the receptionist's countertop. "For the love of Ifrit, why can't you just answer my fucking question?!"

The receptionist shot Cyrus a blank stare, which only served to aggravate the scythe wielder even more. He was about to set something on fire out of principle when a familiar voice quietly asked from behind, "Cyrus? Is that you?"

Cyrus turned and came face-to-face with Mari Yanma, his former SeeD exam teammate. She wore the standard SeeD uniform and had her right arm in a sling. Cyrus quickly walked up to Mari and exclaimed, "Mari! Your arm…what the hell happened?"

"Calm down, Cyrus," Mari insisted. "It's a long story. Follow me and we'll explain…all of us."

Despite wanting to know the whole story right away, Cyrus acquiesced to Mari's request and followed her up the hotel stairs and to a room near the top. Mari opened the door with her good arm and motioned for Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen to enter. There, either sitting, standing, or lying around were close to a dozen SeeD cadets, many of whom had some sort of injury. However, despite their condition, all stood up and saluted the three returning SeeDs as Cyrus saluted them back.

"At ease, guys," Cyrus ordered as he turned to Mari. "What the hell happened, Mari? Where's Balamb Garden?"

Mari sighed as she closed the door to the hotel room and sat down on one of the beds. "Balamb Garden is…gone. Commander Leonhart activated its propulsion mechanism and headed out to sea. Where it is now, I don't know."

"Commander Leonhart made the decision to move Garden? Are you sure?" Cyrus asked, almost pleadingly.

Mari nodded. "He had no choice…we were…"

She took a deep breath before continuing, "We were attacked by a group of magic users wearing white robes. Dozens of them approached Garden and we were assigned to intercept them and ask them what their intentions were. Then, without warning, they starting casting magic and killing us. They did it so swiftly…so coldly. We fought them back as best we could, but none of us were junctioned. A lot of cadets and SeeDs died…"

Mari stopped to wipe a pair of tears from her eyes. Once her eyes were dry, she explained, "Several of the assailants got through our lines and started to cast some large-scale magic. I don't know what kind of spell they were using, but the skies became littered with ancient runes and symbols. The Commander stayed as long as he dared before finally making the decision to move Balamb Garden. He managed to get the Garden away before the men in white finished their spell…"

"I see," Cyrus muttered, digesting what Mari had just told him. "Do you know what direction Balamb Garden was heading?"

Mari nodded. "It headed south, towards Fisherman's Horizon. There are a number of SeeDs from all three Gardens stationed there, so maybe the Commander was looking for reinforcements."

"Then that's where we're heading," Cyrus said as he and his team headed for the door.

"Wait!" one of the SeeD cadets shouted as he stumbled over to Cyrus on a broken leg. "What about those white robe-wearing creeps? They're still on the island!"

Cyrus slowly turned around and faced the outspoken cadet. "They're on Balamb? Are you certain?"

The SeeD cadet nervously nodded. "I saw them retreating towards the Fire Cavern after Garden started moving. Can't say for certain what they're up to, but…"

"Nothing to worry about," Taizen spoke up. "We'll take care of them."

"Damn straight we will," Kyra added as she slipped on her Soul Crushers.

Cyrus nodded as he turned to Mari. "You've done a good job, Mari. Thank you for that. Keep these guys safe and well. I'll make sure those bastards pay for what they did to you all and what they would've done to Garden."

"I know," Mari acknowledged as she gave Cyrus a small, shy smile. Cyrus returned the smile with a smirk of his own as he led his team out of the room and out of the hotel. The SeeDs then ran towards the town entrance and out of the harbor village, borrowing a vehicle from the rental shop and headed east.

Cyrus, sitting calmly in the back, took a whetstone from his vest and sharpened Inferno's blade. Knowing now that Balamb Garden was safe and on the move, he had only one thought on his mind: finding the ones responsible for hurting his Garden brethren.

"Your goddess won't be able to save you…" Cyrus whispered to himself as he ran the sharpening stone across Inferno one more time.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For Cyrus and his fiery guardian, returning to the Fire Cavern was a lot like coming home again.

"_Be it ever so humble…" _Cyrus thought.

"_**There really is no place like home," **_Ifrit finished.

The same intense heat, the same pools of molten magma surrounding the narrow rocky walkways…Cyrus and Ifrit immediately felt the scorching atmosphere restore and reinvigorate them. Even though it hadn't been more than a few months, it felt like eternity since either of them set foot inside of the Demon Lord of Flames's domain. Cyrus turned to face his teammates at the cavern's entrance and gave them their marching orders.

"All right. You two have never been inside the Fire Cavern, so I should warn you about what to expect. The heat's going to be close to unbearable, so I want you guys to keep hydrated as much as possible. About the only monsters you'll have to be concerned about are the bombs. Just stick to ice magic and you'll be fine."

"We're not stupid, Cyrus," Kyra retorted. "But your concern is appreciated. What about you? You didn't bring any canteens for yourself. Won't you get dehydrated?"

"Not nearly as fast as you two will," Cyrus explained. "I'm junctioned to Ifrit, remember? This kind of environment won't do much to me so long as I got him."

Kyra nodded. "Suit yourself. I'm just looking forward to bashing some Seraphim skulls."

Taizen surprisingly nodded. "As much as I despise revenge, even I have to admit that I'm anxious to bring these cultists to justice. I do have one concern, though…"

Cyrus raised his hand, stopping Taizen mid-sentence. "Yeah. If were just a handful of cultists, this wouldn't be such a big deal. But from what Mari and that cadet told us, there could be a whole brigade inside. Fortunately, I have an idea that might make things easier for us."

"And what might that be, hotshot?" Kyra playfully teased. Cyrus smirked as he leaned in close to Kyra's left ear and whispered something to her. Kyra's eyes widened in excitement as she responded, "Cyrus, you clever bastard. All right, just give me enough time and my girls and I will handle the rest."

Cyrus nodded approvingly as he motioned for his teammates to follow him into the Fire Cavern. As expected, the heat was intense as both Kyra and Taizen started to sweat. Cyrus, on the other hand, looked quite comfortable as he led his friends on the craggy path across the magma ponds. To Cyrus's surprise, they were able to make it halfway to Ifrit's domain without running into any Seraphim cultists…not even so much as a single red bat.

"_Okay, what the hell is this?" _Cyrus asked himself. _"Where is all the opposition? I would have thought that we'd have run into a bomb or two at least!"_

"_**Something is wrong here," **_Ifrit agreed. _**"It almost feels like…"**_

"_Like what?"_

"_**It feels like something is draining the residual magic from the cavern," **_Ifrit concluded. _**"And the pull seems to be getting stronger the closer we get to my lair. Be cautious, Cyrus…I have a feeling we are about to learn something about what the Seraphim Society is hoping to accomplish."**_

Cyrus nodded slightly as he and his friends pushed on deeper into the Fire Cavern. They finally ran across a pair of buels…albeit recently-deceased buels that looked as if they were attacked with lightning magic.

"Looks like we're getting closer," Kyra stated with a hint of anticipation in her voice. Taizen said nothing as the SeeD trio continued pushing forward.

Finally, they were several yards away from Ifrit's Lair as they finally caught sight of their target: a group of Seraphim cultists surrounding the pool of lava that Ifrit called home. They were all chanting in some ancient tongue as a series of magical symbols hovered above Ifrit's Lair…no doubt the source of the "magic extraction" that Ifrit had mentioned earlier. To the SeeDs' surprise, there were only a dozen or so Seraphim cultists instead of a small army. Cyrus immediately dismissed this as he whispered to Kyra, "Summon her."

Kyra nodded as she focused her energy into a summoning. Seconds later, a stalagmite shot out of the ground between where the SeeDs were hiding and where the cultists were conducting their strange ritual. On top of that stalagmite was a beautiful, scantily-dressed, fair-skinned maiden with long blonde hair that looked like angelic wings. She carried a harp in the crook of her left arm as she slyly said to the cultists:

"Are you here for my symphony, mortals? Allow me to serenade you to the point of speechlessness…Silent Voice."

With that, the maiden known as Siren played a melody on her harp as magical streamed flowed from the strings and surrounded the Seraphim cultists. A minute later, Siren finished playing her harp and disappeared in a flash. The cultists looked at one another confused as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen stepped out of hiding.

"She's really something, isn't she?" Kyra taunted the cultists. "That song always gets me choked up."

The cultists immediately turned their attention to the SeeDs and held their arms up, as if they were about to cast a barrage of magical spells. However, after several seconds, the cultists began to show signs of frustration as no spells were conjured by any of them. They tried to voice their anger, but no sound came out. Cyrus and Kyra laughed as the SeeD trio casually walked up to the cultists. The scythe wielder explained:

"You white robe-wearing dumbasses! You're silenced! I may not know how you jackasses can use magic, but that doesn't change the fact that you low-level grunts have to play by the rules just like we do. A good Silence spell, and you can't even so much as conjure up a matchstick's amount of fire. So be good POWs' and just stay where you are. We're getting some answers…right here, right now."

Upon hearing about their condition, all of the cultists quickly reached into their robes. Each one of them pulled out a small vial that Cyrus recognized as Echo Screens. Before the cultists could drink the Echo Screens and free their voices, Taizen calmly stretched out his hand and cast a modified Thundara spell, sending bolts of electricity flying at every last Echo Screen, shattering the bottles and spilling the medicine inside.

Taizen shook his head as Cyrus continued, "Not today, assholes. You hurt some of my friends, and tried to hurt my Garden. And unfortunately for you, I'm not the forgiving type…"

Cyrus's threats were interrupted by a low rumbling throughout the Fire Cavern. Cyrus and his friends struggled to maintain their footing as the earth continued to tremble.

"An earthquake?" Taizen asked as the rumblings continued to intensify.

"No…it's something else!" Cyrus exclaimed as a familiar voice echoed throughout the cavern.

"**So, you continue to resist us, reaper. I struggle to understand why…"**

Cyrus clenched his teeth in anger as he soon recognized that voice. "Ezerath! Where the hell are you? Show yourself!"

"**I speak through my fellow acolytes," **the voice of Ezerath explained. **"And while they may be silenced, the power of the Great Hyne and the magic they have extracted gives them enough strength to serve as fuel for the fire."**

"Fuel for the fire…no way!" Cyrus angrily replied. "What are you doing, Ezerath?"

"**I've told you once, heir of Vascaroon. All that matters…all that has ever mattered is the will of the Great Hyne. My fellow believers will give their lives and souls to Hyne in order to call forth the means of your destruction…the legendary guardian, the Phoenix!"**

With that, the cultists surrounding Ifrit's Lair immediately became consumed with ethereal flames as they were reduced to ash. Their remains then swirled and entered the lava pool via some magical transference. Seconds later, the pool of lava exploded as a fiery bird emerged from the flames and hovered above the three SeeDs. The Firebird's eyes glowed the same yellow hue as the Seraphim cultists that were sacrificed to summon it as it sized up its opposition.

"Damn it," Cyrus muttered under his breath, disgusted at how Ezerath had used his own brethren to summon this GF. "Damn it all! Ezerath, you bastard! My journey's not ending here! I will find you and make you and your society pay! Mark my words: you will PAY!"

Cyrus finished screaming as he grabbed Inferno and readied himself for a fight. His friends said nothing as they too prepared themselves to fight the Phoenix. Seconds later, the Firebird swooped down onto the trio, beginning the battle its summoner had commanded it to fight…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Thanks to the Duelist of Dawn, BestInInfluence, Hiiro Mizutani, and ExtremeuGamer for the reviews. So close...so close to 100. Let's get there together, fellow travelers...let's get there together!**

**The Phoenix rises again. What will happen to our heroes! I'm certainly going to try to up the epicness for Chapter 25, so stay tuned!**

**Damn Internet gremlins...they tried to stop me from uploading this chapter. Well, if those little bastards think they can just sit there and get away with it, they've got another thing coming! Where's my cane?!**

**_*Truth grabs his cane, stomps out his front door, and heads for the nearest Internet hub. He walks in and sees several squat, green-skinned monsters yanking, chewing, and messing with wires and switchboards.*_**

**_Truth: Hey, bitches! The Exile's here to whoop your sorry asses! Come get some!_**

**_*The gremlins screech in terror as Truth starts swinging his cane, knocking them out one after another. After several minutes, all but one of the gremlins lay motionless on the floor. The lone survivor is backed up into a corner with Truth standing tall in front of him.*_**

**_Gremlin: Please! Mercy! We didn't mean to interrupt your uploading...really we didn't! Don't you have a heart?_**

**_Truth: For piece of crap gremlins? Hell no! Eat driftwood!_**

**_*Truth swings his cane and connects with the gremlin's head. The gremlin falls as Truth takes a deep breath, walks out of the hub, and back to his computer.*_**

**Ugly little monsters...**

**Anyway, you all know the drill! Review! After all, gremlins HATE reviews!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	25. Chapter 25

The Phoenix's diving speed was incredible, and it took all of Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen's junctioned agility to dodge the GF. It quickly ascended back up towards the Fire Cavern's ceiling, once again waiting to see what the mortals would do in response.

Cyrus, still seething, started to recklessly toss several Blizzara spells towards the Phoenix, sending giant icicles flying upwards and hoping to connect. The Phoenix, however, was able to deftly dodge most of the Blizzaras and destroy the rest with a flamethrower-like attack from its open beak. Cyrus cursed vehemently as he focused on conjuring another series of Blizzaras when Kyra grabbed his arm.

"Knock it off, Cyrus!" Kyra shouted angrily. "I know you're pissed, but you can't keep doing this! Too many more errant Blizzaras and you'll bring this whole cavern down around our ears!"

"Then what would you have me do, Kyra?!" Cyrus snapped back, shocking the red-haired fighter. Cyrus, noticing the look in Kyra's eyes, immediately softened his tone and said, "Kyra, I…"

"It's coming again!" Taizen stated as he tightened his grip on Griffin's Heart. Cyrus and Kyra quickly spun around to see the Phoenix within feet of them, once again trying to swoop on top of them. It was too close to dodge, so Cyrus used Inferno to block the Phoenix's beak and hold it back. As Cyrus struggled against the mighty Firebird, he nodded to Kyra who brought her hands up and shouted, "Blizzara!"

This time, the Phoenix was unable to dodge as the Blizzara spell connected with its left wing, encasing it in ice. The Phoenix shrieked in pain as it backed off and receded back into the lava pools. Cyrus, suffering from burns from the Phoenix's fiery feathers, grabbed a potion from his vest and drank it down as Taizen said:

"It will recover soon. Perhaps we should take this opportunity to come up with a plan of attack."

Kyra nodded. "This thing's made of fire, so ice and water spells are the way to go. The only problem is this narrow path we're on. It's really making it hard to dodge that damn bird and that flame stream attack it likes to use. Any ideas?"

"Just one," Cyrus answered somberly. "But Ifrit's not going to like it."

"_**What are you talking about, Cyrus?" **_Ifrit demanded before finally realizing what Cyrus meant. _**"Oh, you cannot be serious…"**_

"_Afraid so, partner," _Cyrus replied internally. _"If we don't do this, we can't win. I'm sorry…"_

Inside Cyrus's mind, the SeeD could hear Ifrit grumbled and groan before finally relenting. _**"…Very well. Do it."**_

Cyrus nodded and turned to Kyra. "Summon Shiva. Freeze the lava ponds. It won't stop the Phoenix, but it'll expand the playing field."

Kyra nodded as she summoned Shiva, who proceeded to direct her icy magic towards cooling the molten magma until the entire area was surrounded by solid rock. Cyrus knew that the underground magma streams would change all that after a day or two, but it at least gave the SeeDs enough room to put up a decent fight.

As Shiva finished her task, the Phoenix erupted once again, this time through the freshly-cooled rock. It looked rather angry as it reeled back and prepared to launch its flame stream.

"Damn it! Shell!" Cyrus shouted as he cast the protective magical barriers on himself and his teammates. The Phoenix's flame stream washed over the SeeDs, and while they felt the searing flames tear into them, it was stymied by the Shell spells. Cyrus and his friends shook it off as Cyrus began to focus his energy.

"Leviathan! Get out here!"

Just like back at the missile base, the floor of the Fire Cavern was quickly covered in knee-deep water as the Protector of the Sea emerged from the murky depths. Leviathan looked at his summoner and simply stated, "Do I need to ask what you need from me?"

Cyrus shook his head. "Take down the Phoenix. Hold nothing back."

Leviathan nodded as he faced the Firebird, who was reeling back for another flame stream. As the Phoenix unleashed its inferno, Leviathan responded by mimicking the Phoenix's movements as he too reeled back and unleashed a high-pressure stream of water. The two GFs continued to pour on the power from their respective attacks as the Phoenix and Leviathan struggled to gain an advantage.

Fortunately for the sea serpent, Shiva was still materialized and willing to provide backup. The Ice Maiden took the opening provided by Leviathan and unleashed her Diamond Dust attack. Shiva's most powerful ice spell hit the Phoenix and froze both of its wings as well as two of its pinions. The lost of mobility forced the Phoenix to fall to the ground as it landed on its feets, staring down the SeeDs with blind determination. Shiva and Leviathan disappeared in a flash of ice and water as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen all readied themselves.

"Now! Rush it!" Cyrus shouted as all three SeeDs lunged at the grounded Phoenix. Still willing to fight, the Phoenix unleashed yet another fire stream that was blocked by Griffin's Heart. Cyrus and Kyra took advantage of the opportunity that Taizen gave them to close the distance between them and the Phoenix as both warriors drove their respective blades deep into the Phoenix's neck.

The Firebird, surprisingly still alive, thrashed about in pain as it send Cyrus and Kyra flying in opposite directions; Kyra left and Cyrus right. Both SeeDs got back to their feet as the Phoenix concentrated its energy and summoned a maelstrom of flames around it, melting the ice on its wings and allowing the GF to return to the skies. The Phoenix then turned its attention to Cyrus as it gained more altitude.

Knowing another dive bomb was coming, Cyrus attempted to run. However, he noticed that his foot was jammed into a crack in the former magma pool. Cyrus frantically tried to free himself as the Phoenix halted its ascension and hurled itself downward towards Cyrus, its razor-sharp beak aimed directly for his heart.

Cyrus, unable to free himself, brought Inferno up in an attempt to block the Phoenix's assault. However, even he knew that the Phoenix's velocity would be able to shatter Inferno easily. As the Phoenix got closer and closer still, Cyrus closed his eyes and prepared himself for the inevitable collision…

…only to open them again to see Kyra standing in front of him, the Phoenix's beak piercing her abdomen.

"Kyra!" Cyrus shouted as he finally free himself, grabbed Kyra, and drove the Phoenix back with Inferno. Taizen quickly rushed over to provide cover as Cyrus asked the fallen fighter, "Why? Why the hell did you save me?"

"You idiot," Kyra muttered as she tried to halt the bleeding. "This isn't just your journey, you know. You have to stop trying to carry the burden alone and let us bear it with you…"

Kyra passed out as Cyrus tried to shake her out of it. When his actions gained no response from Kyra, Cyrus gently laid her on the ground as he stood up and faced the Phoenix with fire in his eyes. He said nothing as he grabbed Inferno even tighter as he rushed the flying GF.

Confused, the Phoenix once again tried to attack with its flame stream. Cyrus, not even so much as flinching, took the attack head-on as he powered his way through the fire and jumped up towards the Phoenix, driving Inferno's blade deep into the GF's stomach. Then, using every last ounce of his strength, he swung the scythe and its captured prey down hard onto the floor as he landed several yards away. He then shouted, "Taizen! Hit it with everything you got!"

Taizen nodded as he and Cyrus unleashed a massive barrage of Blizzara spells on top of the fallen Phoenix. The GF screeched in agony as the two SeeDs continued their assault. Finally, after expending their entire stock of Blizzaras, the Phoenix finally submitted to Cyrus and Taizen and reduced itself to ashes, leaving only a pile of dust and one of its pinions behind.

With the Phoenix defeated, Cyrus immediately rushed over to Kyra and knelt down beside her body. Cyrus checked for her pulse and was horrified to find that she had none…

"No, not again!" Cyrus screamed as he conjured up healing spells, one after another. None of them seemed to have any effect as Cyrus frantically tried to think of a way to save Kyra.

"Kyra! Damn it, Kyra…don't you do this! You're not the type of person to just give up like this! For fuck's sake, Kyra…SNAP OUT OF IT!"

"Cyrus…" Taizen said in a somber tone, "It's over. She's gone…"

"Shut the hell up, Taizen!" Cyrus shouted at his muscle-bound teammate. "It's not over! I can save her…I will save her!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Cyrus saw the pinion that the Phoenix had left behind upon its demise. Cyrus quickly ran and collect the fallen plume and just as quickly returned to Kyra's side. He held the pinion tightly in his right hand as he looked into the blank face of Kyra.

Cyrus had heard the legend of the Phoenix…hell, every SeeD had at one time or another. The story of the Great Flame of Resurrection that could defy death time after time, only to rise again…

"Please…" Cyrus quietly muttered as he focused whatever energy he had left into the Phoenix's pinion. "I don't want to lose her…I don't want to lose anyone ever again. Phoenix, I beg you…lend her your divine power…bring her back to life!"

Seconds later, the pinion started to glow white-hot as Cyrus dropped it in shock. The pinion fell gently on top of Kyra's wounded abdomen as it started to pulsate. Kyra's body began to throb in rhythm with the pinion as the light surrounding the fallen plume grew brighter and brighter. It finally became bright enough to envelop Kyra's entire body, shielding it from sight as Cyrus and Taizen turned away from the blinding light. Several seconds later, the light subsided and disappeared along with the Phoenix's pinion.

"Kyra?" Cyrus quietly asked as he cautiously approached Kyra's body. To his relief, he saw that Kyra's wound had closed and that her chest was heaving up and down, meaning that she was alive and breathing again. She opened her brown eyes and turned her head towards a kneeling Cyrus. She asked in a sleepy tone, "Cyrus? What happened? Am I dead?"

"No…" Cyrus managed to say as he fought back a tear. "You're alive. You survived…"

"The power of the Phoenix saved you, Kyra," Taizen stated from a distance. "And if I'm not mistaken, it seems it has made another decision about you…"

Kyra looked confused until she sat up and looked down at her stomach. There, just above the naval, was the branded tribal image of the Phoenix soaring towards the sky. Kyra looked at Cyrus and asked, "Did I…did I junction with the Phoenix?"

Cyrus nodded. "Well, to be more accurate, it seems the Phoenix junctioned with you. I used one of its pinions to try and save you, and I guess the Phoenix took the opportunity to choose its summoner."

"I see," Kyra said as her eyelids became very heavy. "Well, that's nice. I think I need a nap, though…"

With that, Kyra passed out as Cyrus caught her with his right arm. He smiled as he gently picked up the red-haired fighter and carried her bridal-style towards the Fire Cavern's exit. Taizen simply shook his head as he sheathed Griffin's Heart and followed his captain as if nothing was different...

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was close to midnight in the town of Balamb. Cyrus had rented a room at the hotel for the night and had let Kyra rest with Taizen guarding her. He, however, was about to have a conversation long overdue…

"Get out here, Leviathan."

Cyrus, sitting on one of Balamb Harbor's docks, waited patiently as Leviathan emerged from the sea and faced his summoner. He cocked his head quizzically as he asked Cyrus, "What is it, young warrior?"

"I have some questions for you," Cyrus simply replied.

"And you couldn't have asked me telepathically?" Leviathan inquired.

"I could have. But I wanted to have this conversation face-to-face. You have information about the Seraphim Society…information I need if I'm going to take them down. Tell me everything you know about them."

Leviathan sighed as he lowered his gaze. "What the Seraphim Society is and their goals are, even I don't know that. But what I do know is how they have acquired their power."

Cyrus crossed his arms. "Go on."

"Long ago, in the days of the Centra Empire, a means of extracting magic was developed by several scholars and magicians. Via a series of complex incantations and symbols, the Centrans were able to draw magic from their environment and several magical hotspots across the world."

"What's so special about that? We human can draw magic from monsters. What's the difference?"

"The difference is that the Centrans were not junctioned to GFs," Leviathan explained. "Back then, we were simply regarded as protectors of the elements. The idea that we could bond with mortals was simply never thought of. Even so, the Centrans managed to develop a method of drawing magic without the aid of Guardian Forces."

"How?"

"The Centrans discovered a cache of magically-infused crystals. They soon realized that these crystals in conjunction with the then-common knowledge of sorcery could actually draw magical energy from a variety of sources. The Centrans scoured the world for more potent sources of magical energy and harvested the crystals to absorb the power."

"Those crystals…" Cyrus muttered as he came to a realization. He was about to declare his revelation before Leviathan interrupted him.

"Yes, those are the same crystals that Siren, the Brothers, and I were imprisoned in. Apparently, the Seraphim Society has rediscovered those crystals and its members are using them to acquire their expansive magical power. However, what they aim to do with that power eludes me…"

Cyrus, taking a few seconds to digest what Leviathan had just told him, finally stood up and said, "Thanks for the information, Leviathan. You can return now."

"Cyrus?"

His arms still crossed, Cyrus explained to the sea serpent, "If what you said is true, then the Seraphim Society is only going to get stronger the longer we wait. Even if we don't know what their plans are, I have every intention of stopping them. And I'm going to need the help of all my friends. Can I count on you in the battles to come, Leviathan?"

"Of course," Leviathan replied with a nod as he started to de-materialize. "My strength is yours to borrow whenever you need it."

"_**And mine as well," **_Ifrit chimed in from the recesses of Cyrus's mind.

Cyrus smiled as he looked out towards the sea. The full moon reflected off the water as it illuminated the docked Valeria. He breathed in the night air as his fingers lightly brushed Inferno resting on his back.

Tonight, he and his friends would rest.

Tomorrow, the hunt for the Seraphim Society and Balamb Garden would begin.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Somebody actually died...only to rise again! Rebirth Flame FTW!**

**But seriously, hope you all enjoyed this battle. I think I do my best work with fight scenes, so I hope this one was of the same quality that you've all come to expect from the Exile.**

**Seven reviews away from 100! Thanks to the Duelist of Dawn, BestInInfluence, ExtremeuGamer, Hiiro Mizutani, ZantokXIII, and Ally Todd for the reviews. Let this be the chapter that gets us over the edge! To 100 and the glory therein! BOOYA!**

**And now ladies and gentlemen...Mr. Conway Twitty!**

**Nah, I'm just kidding. Review!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	26. Chapter 26

A day after the battle with the Phoenix in the Fire Cavern, the Valeria was halfway to Fisherman's Horizon. Taizen, as usual, took charge of steering the vessel as Cyrus and Kyra mainly kept to themselves, using their GFs abilities to create and stock more powerful spells. Cyrus, still feeling guilty for Kyra's temporary demise, hadn't said more than three words to the crimson-haired fighter as he mainly spent his time working on his scythe-fighting skills and concocting more potent chemical vials.

On this particular morning, Cyrus was sitting on the aft section of the Valeria, watching the sun rise from the east. He was having a conversation with Ifrit about something or another when his thoughts were interrupted by a familiar female voice:

"Cyrus? Why are you avoiding me?"

Cyrus stood up and turned to face Kyra, who had a still-sleepy look in her eyes, signifying that either she just woke up or hadn't slept very well. Cyrus replied in a straightforward manner, "I'm not avoiding you. Go back to sleep…"

A split second later, Cyrus felt the full force of Kyra's fist dig itself into his stomach, knocking the wind out of his lungs as he fell to his knees. Cyrus hacked and wheezed for a minute before finally catching his breath and getting back to his feet.

"What the hell was that for, Kyra?!"

To Cyrus's surprise, Kyra simply chuckled. "That's better. At least you're showing some emotion again. Look hotshot, I know you still feel bad about what happened at the Fire Cavern. But you need to stop crying a river, build a bridge, and get over it!"

"…Get over it? Kyra, I let you die. Had that Phoenix not left a pinion behind, you would have…"

Once again, Cyrus suffered the pain of another punch to the stomach. This time, it wasn't nearly as forceful as Cyrus managed to stay on his feet. He looked at Kyra angrily and exclaimed, "Would you stop that?!"

"Not until you admit that what happened to me wasn't your fault," Kyra simply stated as sweetly as she could manage. Despite the pain in Cyrus's gut, Kyra's expression in conjunction with the whole situation forced the scythe wielder to laugh.

"All right, fine," Cyrus relented. "What happened to you in the Fire Cavern was not my fault."

He then added, "But I still feel bad about it. I'm sorry, Kyra."

Kyra shook her head in astonishment. "Geez, Cyrus…you just can't give it up, can you? But I suppose I can let it slide since you're finally acting like yourself again. Mind if I join you?"

Cyrus nodded as both he and Kyra sat down and watched as the sun climbed up past the horizon. The two sat there, quietly enjoying the peace before Cyrus asked, "So, what's the Phoenix like? He is in your head, right?"

Kyra nodded. "It's strange. The Phoenix really doesn't have much in the way of sentience. I can feel it inside my mind, but it's just like a presence without any real thought or motivation. That make any sense?"

"A little," Cyrus replied. "The Phoenix is the embodiment of resurrection. The more I think about it, I'm not surprised it has no real mind of its own. All it's concerned with is continuing the cycle of rebirth. Wonder what'll happen when you try to summon it…"

"Well, sooner or later I'll have to figure that out," Kyra quietly noted. "Anyway, check these out. I guess the Phoenix left me with a little present before junctioning with me."

With that, Kyra drew her daggers, and to Cyrus's surprise they had changed drastically. Kyra's old Demon Fangs were regular-looking daggers; these, on the other hand, resembled a knife-version of Inferno's blade. Kyra sheathed them and explained, "I guess a symbol wasn't the only sign of my pact with the Phoenix. I call them 'Phoenix's Tears.' What do you think?"

"Not bad," Cyrus commented before Kyra did something unexpected: she leaned over towards Cyrus and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. Startled, Cyrus backed off and stared down the smiling Kyra.

"What was that about?"

Kyra shrugged. "Well, you did save me back at the Fire Cavern. Figured I'd show my appreciation. But if you tell Taizen about this, I'll cut your tongue out."

"Kyra…"

Kyra stood up and brushed the dust off her coat. "Just keep moving forward, Cyrus. I'll keep watching your back as long as you want me to. Let go of whatever regret you have and just do what you've always done: push your obstacles aside and obliterate your target. If you ever need to be reminded of that, you know where to find me. See you later, hotshot."

With that, Kyra gave Cyrus a wink as she turned around and headed for the Valeria's lower levels. Cyrus, still in shock after that whole exchange, finally let loose a raucous laugh as he stood up as well and stretched out his arms.

"Rule Number 1…" Cyrus muttered as he looked back to where Kyra was heading and slyly smiled.

"Thanks for the reminder, Kyra."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Valeria finally caught sight of Fisherman's Horizon several hours later, but to the disappointment of her crew Balamb Garden was nowhere to be seen. Taizen, dutifully manning the steering wheel, shouted towards the starboard side at Cyrus, "What should we do?"

"Dock, of course," Cyrus shouted back. "Garden may not be here now, but it may have docked here recently. And besides, the Valeria needs fuel, anyway. Let's pull into the harbor and see what we can find out."

"Understood," Taizen acknowledged as he deftly maneuvered the vessel past the various floating apparatuses into FH's cobbled-together harbor. As the Valeria came to a stop and her crew disembarked, Cyrus and his friends couldn't help but notice the reaction that the locals had of this armed ship and her equally-armed crew.

"What's with them?" Kyra whispered to Cyrus.

"FH is considered neutral territory," Cyrus whispered back. "Rumor has it the mayor despises armed conflict and really hates it when military forces pass through. Just keep your cool and let's find the mayor's office. I think it's in the center of FH."

"Got it," Kyra quietly replied as Cyrus led her and Taizen past the curious crowds and makeshift shops and residences. Having never visited Fisherman's Horizon and not wanting to stop and ask for directions, Cyrus took a chance and followed the looping rail tracks, hoping to get lucky and find what he was looking for.

Cyrus's gamble paid off as the SeeD trio finally found the mayor's house, smack dab in the center of a vast series of solar panels. A long stairway led down the array and to the central building as Cyrus motioned for his friends to follow him down.

Several minutes of climbing down stairs, the SeeDs finally reached the mayor's home. Deciding to dispense with pleasantries, Cyrus forgo knocking and simply walked in. The room was cluttered with various technological constructs, many of which Cyrus was unfamiliar with. Past what looked like a large metal robot was a winding staircase leading to the building's second floor. Cyrus sighed as he and his team took the stairs up.

Once they reached the top, Cyrus and his friends caught sight of two people: an older man with graying hair wearing a loose-fitting yellow shirt sitting on the floor next to a blonde woman wearing a pink blouse. They said nothing as they motioned for the SeeDs to sit down, an offer Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen quickly accepted.

"My name is Dobe. Welcome to Fisherman's Horizon," the man said in an less-than hospitable tone. "Who are you people?"

"My name is Cyrus Ranto. This is Kyra Vanguard and Taizen Kouken. We're SeeDs from Balamb Garden, and we're currently hunting down members of a Hyne cult called the Seraphim Society."

Mayor Dobe shook his head as the woman spoke up, "We know nothing of this Seraphim Society, and we told your Commander as much when he was here."

"Commander Leonhart was here? Where is he now?" Kyra demanded.

Mayor Dobe raised his hand in an attempt to calm Kyra down. "Save your threats, warmonger. To answer your question, Squall Leonhart and Garden were here. They picked up some SeeDs that were here and headed north. That's all I know. Unless you have any questions, I suggest you leave before you bring more trouble to our town."

"North, huh?" Cyrus mused. "Sounds like the Commander's heading for Trabia Garden. Very well, once we've refueled and restocked our supplies, we'll leave. Thank you for your help, Mr. Mayor."

Dobe said nothing as he waved his hand as if to dismiss the SeeDs. However, before Cyrus and his team could walk out, the sound of explosions reverberated in the distance.

"What's going on?" Dobe shouted into a nearby intercom.

"Some strangers in secondhand Galbadian uniforms showed up on the Horizon Bridge with combat mechs! They're ransacking the town!"

"Caladbolg…" Cyrus muttered. "Excuse me, are they being accompanied by anyone wearing white robes?"

"Who's that?" the man on the other end of the intercom asked. "Yes, there are also some white-garbed magic users amongst the soldiers. Mayor, what do we do?"

"Remain calm," Dobe said reassuringly. "I'll be there in a second."

Dobe turned the intercom off as he stood up. "Unlike you, we resolve our issues with negotiation. Remain here until I return. I'm going to speak with their commanding officer."

"No, you're not," Cyrus replied. "If you go out there, you'll only get yourself killed. Let us handle this."

Dobe shook his head as he walked towards the SeeDs. "This is none of your business, mercenaries. Flo, fix our guests some tea. I'll be right back…"

Dobe's voice trailed off as Cyrus grabbed a vial from his jacket, opened it, and threw its contents into the mayor's face. Seconds later, the concoction knocked Mayor Dobe out cold as he fell to the floor in a heap.

"Dobe! What did you do to him?" Flo angrily demanded as Cyrus threw the vial aside.

"Relax," Cyrus assured. "It's just a sleeping potion. He'll be out for about an hour. Just wait right here and let us protect your town."

Flo simply glared at the SeeDs as they walked down the stairway and out of the couple's house. They ran towards the stairs leading up the solar array as the sound of mechanical rumbling halted their ascent.

"What the hell…?" Kyra said as all three SeeDs turned to see what was making that noise. There, off in the distance rising out of the sea, was a large mechanical monolith on two gigantic pillar-like legs. The mechanical monstrosity's head looked like an old-style knight's helm as its broad shoulders housed a series of rocket launcher-like holes. All three SeeDs gasped as they recognized what this mecha was…

"Damn it, him too?" Kyra whispered as she drew her daggers.

Taizen said nothing as he unsheathed Griffin's Heart. Cyrus, however, was not at a loss for words.

"Another legendary GF…how strong are these cultists? They not only gained influence over the Phoenix, but the Holy Sentinel as well? Alexander…those bastards got you, too!"

Cyrus reached for Inferno and shouldered the scythe. He took several seconds to stare down Alexander as he turned to his teammates and said:

"Kyra, Taizen…go after Alexander. I don't care what it takes, but do not let him cast Holy Judgment! I'm heading for the train station and taking down the invaders. Any questions?"

"None," Taizen said as Kyra nodded in agreement. Cyrus nodded in response as he and his friends finished climbing the array stairs before splitting up at the top. Cyrus took a second to look back at his teammates running in the opposite direction before turning back around and running towards the train station.

"_**Let us crush these invaders, partner," **_Ifrit said from inside Cyrus's mind.

"_Great minds think alike…" _Cyrus replied as he kept gaining speed…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Man, can't FH catch a break? Why does every megalomaniacal group feel the need to ransack the Switzerland of the FFVIII world? Oh well, Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen will try to take down Caladbolg, the Seraphim Society, and Alexander in Chapter 27. Stay tuned!**

**So, I didn't get to 100 reviews last chapter? How did that happen?**

**_*Sound of glass shattering.*_**

**_Truth: What the hell?_**

**_*Truth gets up and grabs his cane. He heads for where the sound originated from, only to find Nero covered in blood and shattered window glass.*_**

**_Truth: Nero! What the hell happened?_**

**_Nero: Forgive me, Truth. He...he escaped from me. And he took away the two reviews you needed for 100..._**

**_Truth: "He?" He who?_**

**_*Nero pauses as he staggers to his feet. He coughs up blood.*_**

**_Nero: The demon..._**

**_*Nero passes out as Truth runs over to him. Truth carries him to a nearby hospital before returning to his computer.*_**

**Damn it! What the hell's going on? Well, Nero's going to be fine, so don't worry!**

**So review...for Nero's sake!**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**

**P.S. Thanks to The Duelist of Dawn, Hiiro Mizutani, Taeniaea, BestInInfluence, and ExtremeuGamer for the reviews last chapter. Nice work, guys!**


	27. Chapter 27

Kyra and Taizen made it to a nearby dock, where Alexander stood at a distance. He was close enough to where the two SeeDs could fully appreciate just how massive the Holy Sentinel was, but far enough away that most ground-based attacks would be futile.

"So, what's the plan, Tai?" Kyra asked as she stared down Alexander, sizing up the GF.

Taizen shouldered his zweihander and stood there for a couple of seconds, thinking of a strategy. Finally, he answered quietly, "Since we can't fight Alexander from here, we'll need to fly out there and attack him from the sky. Quezacoatl, come forth!"

The familiar sight of swirling storm clouds appeared overhead as the Spirit of Lightning swooped down in a flash of electricity and landed next to his summoner.

"You understand the mission, Quezacoatl?" Taizen asked his GF.

Quezacoatl nodded. "Fly out to Alexander, take the fight to the Holy Sentinel, and stop him from casting Holy Judgment. Climb on, Taizen."

Taizen did just that, gently climbing up on Quezacoatl's back as the green GF flapped its wings and gained altitude. As the Spirit of Lightning started towards Alexander, Kyra shouted towards the pair in an angry tone:

"Hey, you muscle-bound prick! Are you just going to leave me behind?"

Getting no response, Kyra sighed as she muttered to herself, "Fine, fine. Guess I have no choice…"

Kyra focused her energy on calling her newest GF. The power flowed out of her and turned into flames as they made an outline of the Phoenix on the ground at her feet. Kyra jumped out of the effigy as the Phoenix burst from the ground and lowered itself to lock eyes with its mistress.

"All right birdie, listen up!" Kyra ordered the Phoenix. "I need to help Taizen take down Alexander before he unleashes hell. I don't know if there's a brain swimming around in that skull of yours, but I need you to fly me out there. Do we understand each other?"

The Phoenix cocked its head quizzically before lowering its neck, seemingly allowing Kyra to climb on. Kyra smiled as she did just that and whispered, "That's what I thought. Let's hurry it up, Phoenix!"

After its summoner had climbed on, the Phoenix flapped its wings and soared high into the sky. Because she was junctioned to the fiery GF, the flames that covered the Phoenix's body did not burn Kyra…in fact, she felt rather comfortable riding the Flame of Resurrection.

A minute later, the Phoenix and its passenger had caught up to Taizen and Quezacoatl. Both looked at Kyra with surprised looks as Kyra simply shouted over, "What? Don't look so surprised! Beauty calms the savage beast after all."

Taizen said nothing as he turned his attention back to Alexander as the SeeDs and their airborne GFs closed in on Alexander. The dark metallic hide of the Holy Sentinel glistened in the sun as it simply stood there…as if it was a sleeping giant waiting to be provoked.

Either way, Taizen had his orders. "Quezacoatl, descend. Land right on top of Alexander."

"Understood," Quezacoatl replied as he descended and landed on top of Alexander's left shoulder. Once the GF had touched metal, Taizen quickly leapt of and ordered his GF to patrol the skies. Seconds later, Kyra touched down right next to Taizen and dismissed the Phoenix, who dive-bombed into the ocean in a flurry of flames.

"All right, now what?" Kyra inquired as she drew her Phoenix Tears.

"Good question…" Taizen admitted as something approaching from Alexander's helm caught his eye. He grabbed Griffin's Heart and readied himself as the "something" revealed itself to be a trio of Seraphim cultists.

"The interlopers! They've come to sever our connection to the Holy Sentinel. Do not let them stop the ritual before Holy Judgment is cast!"

Taizen and Kyra nodded at one another as they lunged towards the cultists, eliminated two of them quickly with brutal slashes from their blades. The third attempted to conjure a spell in retaliation, but Taizen simply responded with an Aero spell, sending the cultist flying off of Alexander and down towards the sea below.

"So, that is what is going on," Taizen stated. "The Seraphim Society is controlling Alexander from somewhere on his body. If we can find where this ritual is taking place…"

"…we can free Alexander," Kyra finished. "Well, what are we waiting for? Those cultists aren't going to kill themselves, you know?"

"Right," Taizen replied as he and Kyra ran towards Alexander's helm, hoping they'd find the source of the Seraphim Society's mental control on the monolith. Along the way, they ran across several other cultists trying to stop them, but with their combined magical and physical attacks the two SeeDs were able to plow their way past the opposition.

Finally, after several minutes of running down Alexander's shoulder, Taizen and Kyra finally made it to the large back of the Holy Sentinel. They then turned their attention towards the helm, where they could see an unearthly yellow glow emanating from.

"Move," Taizen simply ordered as he and Kyra continued pressing forward as the glow became larger and brighter the closer they got. They eventually made it to what would have been the back of Alexander's neck as they finally saw the source of the yellow glow: a Seraphim cultist wearing a more-ornate version of the standard white robe holding one of the Centran crystals. The crystal itself glowed brightly as ethereal gold chains attached themselves to the base of Alexander's helm.

"So, the infidels have broken past my brethren," the cultist calmly said as he turned around to face Taizen and Kyra. "Why have you come here?"

"Isn't it obvious, you whack-job?" Kyra angrily retorted. "We're here to stop you from using Alexander anymore. Taizen and I aren't about to let you destroy Fisherman's Horizon."

"I see. But I ask you, why?" the Seraphim high priest inquired. "All our actions are according to the will of the Great Hyne. Whatever mortal desires are nothing compared to the whims of the goddess. All is happening because the Great Hyne wills it…and we will complete her holy orders."

"Madness," Taizen simply replied. "The slaying of innocent lives is the will of Hyne? How can you be so certain?"

The Seraphim high priest looked at Taizen as if he had just asked a stupid question. "How? Because she has told us so herself…"

"What?" Taizen blurted out as the high priest raised his arm and unleashed a Holy spell. A dozen or so white orbs circled around Taizen and Kyra as they spun around faster and faster before colliding with the two SeeDs. Taizen, acting on instinct, cast a pair of Shell spells on himself and Kyra to lessen the impact. The orbs detonated in a pillar of blinding light as the lithe fighter shrugged off the damage and lunged at the Seraphim member.

However, she never got close enough as the cultist used a modified Aero spell to send her flying back down Alexander's back. Kyra was unable to stop herself as Taizen subliminally called for Quezacoatl. As Kyra ran out of metal and started plummeting towards the ocean, the Spirit of Lightning was there to catch her as the two of them returned to circling around the Holy Sentinel.

"Now you are all alone. Do you honestly think you can stand against the power of a goddess?" the high priest said as he charged up for another Holy spell

Taizen, inside his mind, was actually very unsure of if he could win this fight. The fact that their battleground was on top of Alexander meant that summoning the Brothers was out of the question, and he didn't dare have Quezacoatl unleash his Thunder Storm on the mechanical GF. Every single strategy and tactic ran through the tank-like SeeD's mind as an unfamiliar voice rang loudly inside his brain:

"_**Warrior, why are you hesitating? Are you afraid to fight?"**_

"_Afraid? No, that's not it," _Taizen replied to this inner voice. _"I just cannot enter a fight unless I know I can win it."_

"_**And why do you believe you cannot win this fight?" **_the voice replied in a challenging tone. _**"The enemy is alone, and his strength is not his own. You possess a great inner strength…one that surpasses this charlatan. Let go of your fear and concern and strike him down!"**_

Taizen may not have recognized the voice, but somehow he knew who it was. _"Are you…?"_

"_**The enemy attacks! Defeat him…and free my spirit!"**_

With that, the high priest unleashed a second, more powerful Holy spell. Only this time, Taizen used Griffin's Heart and his incredible strength to cut through the magic and bring his blade down across the chest of the high priest. In the process, Griffin's Heart shattered the Centran crystal that the priest was holding, destroying the artifact and shattering the chains that bound Alexander's spirit. The cultist breathed his last as he fell hard onto the cold metal body of Alexander.

Taizen exhaled as Alexander started to stir. He lowered his shoulder launchers as Quezacoatl set down next to his summoner with Kyra in tow. Taizen walked up closer to Alexander's helm and simply said, "Thank you."

"It was nothing…just reminding you what it means to be a true warrior," the regal, booming voice of Alexander replied. "But you still have a long way to go before you can reach your potential. Allow me to help with that."

"Alexander? Are you saying…?"

"Seven years have passed since I have served a worthy summoner. I will lend you my strength for the battles yet to come. My strength is yours, young one…yours to use to pass judgment on the wicked and corrupt. Let my light brighten yours and wash away the evil in this world…"

With that, Taizen felt a warm glow sweep over him as white light surrounded him. Although he couldn't see it, he could feel the familiar sting of a summoning brand etch itself on his back. In addition, the black blade of Griffin's Heart started to glow and turn as white as pure snow, and the engravings changed into a series of ancient runes with a knight's helm near the sword's hilt. Taizen nodded as he sheathed his new weapon and turned to Kyra, who smiled and said:

"Way to go, Taizen. Looks like you've gone and junctioned yourself to Alexander. So, what do you plan to do for an encore?"

Taizen walked towards his teammate and GF as he said, "Isn't it obvious? Cyrus still needs our help. Let's return to Fisherman's Horizon and rid the town of its assailants."

"I like the way you think," Kyra replied as both SeeDs climbed on Quezacoatl, who took off and headed back for FH. Alexander, for his part, disappeared in a flash of light as Taizen looked back for just a second. After that, he turned his full attention to the matter at hand.

"Hold on, Cyrus. We're coming…"

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"What's the matter, you assholes?" Cyrus taunted as he finished off another pair of Caladbolg troopers with slashes from Inferno. "Is this the best you got? I guess Sayana's money couldn't buy competence after all!"

Despite the fact that it was two (Cyrus and Ifrit) against dozens, Cyrus had been able to easily cut through the Caladbolg lines as he pushed forward towards where their vessels were docked. He had gotten in a zone as he and his guardian continued to punish any Caladbolg soldiers that were unfortunate enough to be in his way.

The Seraphim cultists, on the other hand, were another problem altogether. Although there was typically only one cultist for every twenty Caladbolg trooper, each cultist provide Cyrus and Ifrit with a real challenge. All in all, Cyrus and Ifrit had taken down five Seraphim cultists, and both had taken moderate damage from their magical attacks.

Fortunately, Cyrus was able to keep the damage from the attacks from hindering him and his GF with potions and healing magic. Cyrus also used his stocked Fire spells to give Ifrit extra energy as the Demon Lord of Flames continued his rampage.

"Impudent mortals!" Ifrit shouted as another pair of Caladbolg troopers felt the full force of one of Ifrit's mighty haymaker punches, sending them flying into the makeshift houses and shops. Their bodies dented the metal walls as Cyrus blocked a Saber-wielding soldier's blow and struck him down with Inferno.

"Keep pressing!" Cyrus shouted as he threw himself into a crowd of Caladbolg troopers. He continued to hack and slash his way past the throngs of angry rebels before finally breaking through.

To his surprise, a platoon of Caladbolg members circled around him and didn't open fire with their machine guns. A pair of them in that ring of soldiers moved aside, letting one of their officers past through to face the scythe-wielding SeeD.

"I remember you…" Cyrus said as his grip on Inferno. "You're that lieutenant from the missile base."

"My name is Serigo, mercenary," the Caladbolg officer replied. "And there's a matter that requires your attention. Men! Return to the boats. We're leaving FH."

"Yes, sir!" the Caladbolg troopers shouted as they all filed out and headed for their vessels. Confused, Cyrus turned to Serigo and asked, "All right, what the hell's going on?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Serigo replied. "We're retreating. Both Caladbolg and the Seraphim Society have suffered heavy casualties. We've also lost control of that GF Alexander. Considering that and your…abilities when it comes to combating my troops, I'm prepared to cut my losses."

Cyrus, not knowing if Serigo was fooling him or actually being serious, lowered his scythe but never let go of it. "I don't get it. You seem to be a smart enough guy. Why are you taking orders from that Malachi bitch?"

"I only take orders from Colonel Zekorev," Serigo retorted. "And your question is irrelevant. Sayana Malachi is dead."

"Say what? She's dead?"

"Yeah. Immediately after her death, the Seraphim Society has pushed themselves into a position of command over Caladbolg. Save for those directly under the colonel's or my command, Caladbolg answers to Ezerath and the Society. Even after SeeD managed to retake Deling City, those cultists have been using us as puppets…"

"Hold it!" Cyrus interrupted. "How the hell did Sayana die? Who killed her?"

Serigo paused before saying, "It was…"

Serigo was cut off as a black, cutlass-styled blade pierced his heart from behind, killing him instantly. The blade slowly slid out of Serigo's body as it hit the floor with a thud. Cyrus immediately dropped back into his ready stance as he stared down the owner of that sinister-looking blade.

"You…what the hell are you doing here, Rizo?"

Rizo simply cackled as he shook the blood off his new sword. "That's not a very nice way of saying hello, Cy. Aren't you at least happy to see me alive and well?"

"Not in the least," Cyrus retorted as he sized up Rizo yet again. This time, the power-mad swordsman wore a black cloak lined in red, similar in appearance to his GF Diablos. His once-silver hair was now pure white as his eyes faintly glowed yellow…

"Well, can't make everyone happy," Rizo casually said with a sigh. "But me and my Devourers…well, let's just say that I've still got a payment to make for my new power."

"Payment? Rizo, you didn't…"

"Oh, yes. I've learned the secrets of the Seraphim Society. And while I think most of their zealotry is bullshit, the power they offered was not. I'm a whole new animal, Cy!"

"You do realize how they gain that power, don't you? They extract magic from the world…they imprison GFs and impose their will on them!"

Rizo shrugged. "So what? Power's power, Cy. And I've finally got enough to beat you. No longer will I have to live with the embarrassment of having been beaten by you, you piece of crap! This is it, Cyrus…the last battle between Fate's Swordsman and the Reaper of Destiny."

"Yeah…it is," Cyrus muttered as he readied himself for another fight. Ifrit, having returned to his mind, warned his summoner of the dark power emanating from Rizo.

"_**Be cautious, Cyrus. Something is definitely not natural about the power that mortal wields."**_

"_I know…" _Cyrus replied, not knowing what else to say. He simply resigned himself to the battle ahead as he and Rizo took off at one another, the intention to murder the other in both warriors' minds…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS!!! Thank you, thank you all! Special thanks to the Duelist of Dawn, Hiiro Mizutani, BestInInfluence, Ally Todd, and ExtremeuGamer for getting me over the top! I dedicate this end-of-chapter notes to all of you!**

**BestInInfluence: You're one hell of a writer, and I'm glad that my attempt at fanfiction has helped motivate you to continue writing. Keep on rocking, my man!**

**Ally Todd: The man with the long-ass reviews, you kick ass my Scottish brother! Looking forward to seeing what you bring to the table when you get some of your work uploaded!**

**Hiiro Mizutani and ExtremeuGamer: Two of my most recent and most dedicated reviewers...it's because of people like you that I was able to reach this milestone. From the bottom of my Wayward Heart, thank you so much.**

**The Duelist of Dawn: My good friend, you are eight ways to awesome! Helping plug my stories, letting me in on the fun with your opening...sir, I salute you! Here's looking forward to a continued partnership!**

**And thanks to all the reviewers from the past and future. Let's see just how far the review train'll keep going!**

**But, something does bug me. Nero...what happened to my deliverer?**

**And what demon was he referring to? Could it be...?**

**Well, thanks again for the reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter and the next. Epic confrontation between rivals in Chapter 28, and a return of a certain "Disciplinarian..."**

**When I close my eyes and dream, I dream of typed words telling me how my story rocked or sucked. Make an Exile's dreams come true!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	28. Chapter 28

The sound of clashing metal echoed throughout the section of Fisherman's Horizon as Cyrus and Rizo dueled once again. Rizo's new swords, the Devourers, seemed to reek of dark energy as the arrogant swordsman continued to slash and hack at Cyrus. The SeeD for his part was having a difficult time keeping up as he was constantly on the defensive, and the few times he was able to get in any offense was all for naught.

"Still as fast as ever, I see," Cyrus commented as he backed off a few feet away to catch his breath. Rizo simply scoffed as he again rushed the scythe wielder with both Devourer blades. Cyrus continued to block Rizo's attacks with Inferno before finally making an opening by pushing Rizo back with his scythe's shaft.

"You're mine!" Cyrus shouted as he brought Inferno's blade down hard across Rizo's chest. The blade cut cleanly through Rizo's cloak and sank into across his torso. Rizo grabbed his wound as Cyrus readied himself for another attack.

"You're getting sloppy, Rizo," Cyrus said in a vengeful tone. "Are you sure you're as strong as you think you are?"

To Cyrus's shock, Rizo started to laugh as he regained his footing and his wound started to heal on its own. Rizo tightened his grip on his Devourers as he explained:

"What the hell kind of question is that, Cy? 'Am I as strong as I think I am?' Are you so confident that you think I'd overestimate my own power? Cyrus…that's just a bad joke!"

Rizo's wound finished closing as he held his swords in front of him in an X. Seconds later, the blades were consumed with black fire as Rizo brought both blades down swiftly and sent the X-shaped fiery attack towards Cyrus. Cyrus didn't have time to react as the black fire hit him dead center and sent him flying into one of FH's makeshift shops. The scythe wielder flew through the metal wall and crashed into the purchasing counter before falling hard on the floor.

The SeeD struggled to get back to his feet as the searing black flame left its mark on his chest. Cyrus felt pain unlike any he had ever felt as it almost felt like the black fire continued to sear his flesh. "A Fire-type spell did this much damage to me? How is that possible?"

"_**That black fire is…unnatural. It burns that which should never burn. Cyrus, this magic is ancient beyond ancient."**_

"_I don't care," _Cyrus mentally told Ifrit as he gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on Inferno. _"It doesn't matter what Rizo's capable of…what power he's obtained. I'm making him pay for what he's done to Garden."_

"_**Cyrus…" **_Ifrit replied in a forlorn tone as Cyrus gingerly walked out of the shop through the hole in the wall and stood in front of a smiling Rizo. The swordsman continued to cackle as he taunted the SeeD.

"Cy, you don't look so good. And I wasn't even trying too hard with that attack! Still think you're going to win this fight, loser?"

"Go to hell," Cyrus swore as he brought his hand up. "Firaga!"

Cyrus's most powerful fiery spell surrounded Rizo as the spell's yellow light collapsed and exploded in an enormous fireball. The spell subsided and Cyrus breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that very little could have survived that inferno…

"Pretty sad, Cy…"

Cyrus's mouth was agape as the remnants of the Firaga spell were cast away with one swipe of Rizo's Devourer blade. The black-cloaked swordsman simply grinned wickedly as he settled back into his ready stance.

"No…not even a scratch? Rizo, what the hell are you? What have you become?"

"I'm as close to a god as you'll ever see," Rizo replied in an uncharacteristically gravely-serious tone. "With Diablos and the Seraphim Society's gift, I'm beyond you Cy. And all I have to do to keep my newfound power is sever one more connection."

"_Sever one more connection? What does he…oh, Hyne," _Cyrus thought as his grip on Inferno tightened to the point of turning his knuckles white. "You killed Sayana. You killed your own mother…"

"Heard about that, didn't you?" Rizo casually asked. "I have to say, I never expected that I'd do something like that…but when opportunity knocks, you've got to open the door despite whatever's locking it."

"You heartless bastard," Cyrus vehemently swore. As much as he despised Sayana, Cyrus could never imagine killing one's own parent…

"Heartless? Maybe. All I know and care about is that I've finally got what I was looking for. Too bad for you, Cy. Time to die!"

With that, Rizo began emitting a strange yellow aura as he held both his Devourer blades up close to him. Cyrus, not wanting to see what Rizo was about to do, decided to try one last lunge as he held Inferno up high and brought the blade down as hard as he could. The swirling aura around Rizo, however, stopped the vicious assault as Rizo simply locked eyes with Cyrus and whispered, "Beserker's Rage…"

With that, Rizo knocked Inferno out of Cyrus's hands as he started to violently slash at Cyrus with increasing velocity. Rizo's Devourers continued to carve into Cyrus's body as the slashes came from every direction. The cuts and lacerations continued to pile on as Cyrus felt Rizo's blades dig into his arms, legs, and chest as the onslaught finally stopped. Rizo admired his handiwork for a split second before lifting his leg and sending Cyrus flying back with a powerful thrust kick to the stomach.

As Cyrus fell to the ground in a heap, Rizo calmly sauntered up to his falling foe to find that he was still breathing. Rizo shrugged as he brought the Devourer sword in his right hand up above his head, looking to deliver one final cleave to Cyrus's neck.

"Absolutely pitiful, Cy," Rizo quietly commented on the scythe-wielder's status. "Was that all you had? You honestly couldn't put up a better fight than that? Here I was hoping for an epic confrontation that people would have talked about for decades to come…but I suppose even I can't get everything I want. So long, Cy…"

Cyrus, unable to move due to his injuries and completely drained of energy, couldn't do anything to protect himself. He glared as Rizo as the swordsman's eyes gleamed with anticipation with the swing of his sword…

"Hey, you! The punk in black? Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Rizo stopped his finishing blow within inches of Cyrus's neck as he brought his blade back up and turned to face the source of the intruding voice. To Rizo's surprise, he saw three people standing in front of him: a woman with silver hair and an eyepatch carrying a blue chakram that matched her outfit, a hulking, dark-skinned man wearing an open vest and baggy black pants holding a oversized bo staff, and a tall, blonde man wearing a blue vest and gray overcoat. The blonde carried a black handgun-style gunblade and tapped its dull edge methodically on his right shoulder. He had an air of superiority as he ran his fingers through his hair and repeated: "Are you deaf? Or just scared to come face-to-face with Seifer Almasy and his posse?"

"He's gotta be scared! I'd be too if I had to fight Seifer, ya know?" the dark-skinned man said in confidence as he turned to the silver-haired woman. "Ain't that right, Fujin?"

"RAIJIN! SILENCE!" the woman called Fujin shouted back in an unnecessarily loud and forceful tone.

Rizo, despite being face-to-face with Seifer Almasy and his gang, brought his blades up, readying himself for a fight. He then said in a cocky tone, "Seifer Almasy and the original Disciplinary Committee. I'm honored. Too bad I have to kill you all now."

"CONFIDENT," Fujin stated as she brought her chakram up to eye level.

"A little too cocky, ya know?" Raijin added as he held his bo staff behind him, his free arm outstretched in front of him.

"Kids these days," Seifer commented as he pointed his gunblade, Hyperion, at Rizo. "Thinking they're all big and bad. You think they'd learn…"

"I don't think I'm bad…" Rizo said as he crossed his blades and charged up for another Black Flame X-Slash, "…I know for a fact that I'm the best!"

Rizo unleashed the ebony inferno attack and sent it rocketing towards Seifer. The gunblade-wielding former knight sidestepped and avoided the attack as Fuijin threw her chakram at Rizo. Rizo, in response, knocked the flying bladed weapon out of the air with one of his Devourers. Raijin took advantage of the brief distraction by rushing Rizo and bashing the swordsman's stomach with his bo staff. Rizo felt the wind get knocked out of him as he retaliated with a slash from his sword.

Raijin blocked it and struggled to hold back the blade as Seifer leapt into the fray and brought Hyperion down hard across Rizo's chest, drawing blood. Seifer continued to hack and slash as Rizo yelped in pain and retreated a couple of yards back to let his innate power heal his wound.

"Self-regeneration? That's just cheap!" Seifer shouted at Rizo in a taunting tone. "So much for being the best, huh kid?"

"Shut up!" Rizo shouted back. "You think having the three of you gang up on me gives you an advantage? I've not even begun to fight!"

"Tough talk, coming from a sorry excuse for a bastard like you," the familiar voice of Kyra shouted from the distance. Rizo turned around and saw both Kyra and Taizen running up from behind him. The power-mad swordsman soon found himself surrounded by the SeeDs and Seifer's posse. He lowered his head and chuckled as he realized he was in a no-win situation.

"Well, that sucks. Ezerath's going to be pissed, but nothing I can do about it. Diablos! Get me out of here."

The Dark Messenger quickly materialized and swooped down behind his summoner. He then grabbed Rizo and flapped his bat-like wings, soaring into the skies. The two of them soon disappeared over the horizon as Kyra ran over to the still-breathing Cyrus.

"Damn it! Cyrus, you're bleeding from everywhere! Taizen, give me a hand here! We need to get him to the inn and get him patched up."

Taizen nodded as he and Kyra carefully picked up their captain and headed for the nearest inn. As they walked away, Raijin scratched the back of his head in confusion as he asked, "Um, what do we do now, Seifer?"

"What do you think?" Seifer replied as he sheathed Hyperion. "We follow them. Once that scrub gets healed, we'll ask him what the hell's going on around here. Let's move it, people!"

"AFFIRMATIVE!" Fuijin shouted in acknowledgment as she and Raijin followed their leader down the same avenue that Kyra and Taizen had taken theirs.

"_Don't die on me, kid. I've got some questions that need answering…" _Seifer thought as he continued to run.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

An hour of treatments and healing spells later, Cyrus's condition had stabilized. Both Kyra and Taizen sat in the inn with their leader, keeping an eye on Cyrus and making sure he was comfortable and that his dressings were clean.

Finally, Cyrus opened his eyes and sat up in bed with a wild look in his eyes. He instantly started to look everywhere, mumbling incoherently as if he was suffering from a fever-induced nightmare.

"Cyrus!" Kyra shouted as she grabbed Cyrus's shoulders and shook him. "Wake up! You're having a nightmare!"

Cyrus shook his head and finally seemed to regain his sense of reality. "Kyra…where am I? What happened? And where's…"

"He's gone," Kyra answered, knowing full well who Cyrus was talking about. "Seifer Almasy and his crew fought him briefly before we showed up and surrounded him. He flew off with Diablos."

Cyrus nodded as his many lacerations started to throb in pain. He clutched his sides in agony as Kyra tried to hold him steady.

"You need to lie down, Cyrus," Taizen said from his seat in the far corner of the room. "If you don't, your wounds will reopen and start hemorrhaging again. Please try to rest."

"Damn it…" Cyrus said, ignoring Taizen's advice. "Damn it! I lost. I lost to Rizo! I hit him with everything I had and I couldn't even scratch him! If I can't beat Rizo, how can I stop the Seraphim Society?!"

"Stop it, you idiot!" Kyra demanded. "It's over! So you got your ass kicked…so what? At least you're alive…at least you can do something about it."

"Kyra's right," Taizen agreed. "Rizo may have beaten you, but as long as you're still breathing you can still act…you can still become stronger. Regret does nothing save for holding you back."

"Couldn't have said it better myself!" the facetious voice of Seifer shouted as he opened the door to the SeeDs' room in grand fashion and walked inside with Fujin and Raijin. He sauntered up to Cyrus's bed, grabbed a chair, and sat down beside the scythe warrior.

Cyrus faced Seifer and looked him in the eyes. "Sir Almasy. I appreciate you and your crew showing up when you did…but I have to ask, what are you doing in Fisherman's Horizon?"

Seifer crossed his arms as he leaned back in his chair. "Well, it's a bit of a long story. Me and the posse have heard rumors here and there about this rebel group and their magic-using backers. We also heard about the troubles Balamb Garden's been having recently."

"CONCERNED," Fujin added in her usual tone.

Seifer nodded. "Despite my issues with Squall in the past, I guess I still have a soft spot for Garden. So when I heard Squall moved Garden, the gang and I caught the next train from Timber to FH to see if we could catch up with him and the rest of the gang. We just happened to show up when those rejects started trashing the place, so we figured we'd lend a helping hand in getting them tossed out."

"We just got lucky when we found you, ya know?" Raijin quipped. "Another second, and you'd be without your head!"

Cyrus lowered his head as Fujin kicked Raijin in the shins. Raijin howled in pain as Seifer laughed raucously.

"Well, that was expected," the scarred gunblade fighter said as he turned back to Cyrus. "Now it's your turn. Something tells me that you know a lot more about what's going on than I do, and I figured since I saved your sorry ass that you'd be more than willing to share that information with me."

Cyrus rolled his eyes at Seifer's superior attitude, but relented and told him everything he knew about Caladbolg, the Seraphim Society, and Rizo's role in the whole debacle. Seifer listened intently as Cyrus finished his report before standing up and nodding to Fujin and Raijin.

"UNDERSTOOD!" Fujin shouted as she grabbed Raijin's ear and dragged him out of the room. Seifer turned to face Cyrus and said, "Well, sounds like the world's going to hell again…and this time I'm not the one sending it there. Whoever these Seraphim jackoffs are, we'll be sure to find out. In the meantime, you better go find Squall and let Captain Emo know what you know. And one other thing…"

Seifer's tone turned uncharacteristically serious as he continued, "No matter what, do not let that punk beat you again. Trust me, I know what it's like to lose to someone you are just dying to beat. So don't you dare let him win again. You understand what I'm saying?"

Cyrus mulled over what the older fighter was telling him before smiling and nodding his head. "Understood sir. I'll find Garden, I'll crush the Seraphim Society, and I'll get strong enough to take Rizo out. Failure's no longer an option."

"It never was, Cyrus," Kyra added. "Not as long as you got us around. We've got your back, even to the gates of hell!"

Taizen nodded his agreement. "Once your wounds have healed, let's go to Trabia. We'll find some new information and figure out what we must do to stop the Society's madness."

Cyrus nodded. "Thanks again, Sir Almasy."

"It's what I do," Seifer replied with a smirk as he turned and walked out. Cyrus was still dejected from losing, but his talk with Seifer renewed his determination.

"Listen up!" Cyrus said to his teammates. "Two days. In two days, we're heading for Trabia Garden. Restock our gear, help the locals rebuild, and get the Valeria prepped for launch. Any questions?"

"No, sir!" both Kyra and Taizen replied as they left Cyrus's room to complete their captain's orders. Cyrus, for his part, lied down and allowed the medicines and healing magic work on fixing his broken body.

In two days, his journey would continue…and wouldn't end until he accomplished the task.

"_**Rest well, Cyrus," **_Ifrit told Cyrus mentally as the SeeD started to fall asleep.

"_**The real battle is yet to come," **_Leviathan added as Cyrus drifted into dreamless sleep.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**So Rizo wins one in easy fashion. Will Cyrus ever recover from having his ass handed to him? Well, the gang's heading for Trabia next chapter, so let's just see what happens!**

**And hope you all like the Seifer and friends cameo!**

**Kudos goes to the Duelist of Dawn, ExtremeuGamer, Hiiro Mizutani, Ally Todd, and BestInInfluence for the continued dedication to the art of reviewing! And a welcome goes out to pacificuser (thanks for the review), Kasia Misou, and Lylea after favoriting my story. Thanks a lot! I'm becoming a global phenomenon!**

**Well, in my own mind, anyway.**

**The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Don't let your good intention of reviewing my story be another brick on the highway to hell. Follow through and review!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	29. Chapter 29

A week after the assault on Fisherman's Horizon, the Valeria pulled up to one of the western coasts of Trabia. Cyrus, having bought a brown woolen overcoat from FH before leaving, still could feel the cold air chill him to his very core. Ifrit too felt very uncomfortable in the winter-like environment as he made it known to his summoner.

"_**What mortal conceived building a Garden in such a place?"**_

"_I imagine it was Headmaster Cid. Couldn't tell you why, though. You doing all right?"_

Ifrit snarled. _**"I will endure. Besides, I will not permit myself to show weakness around Shiva and her summoner."**_

"_I hear you, partner," _Cyrus concurred as the SeeD trio trudged through the frozen tundra towards where Trabia Garden was located. They had brief scuffles with gaylas and mesmerizes, which were easily dispatched by Cyrus's Inferno, Kyra's Phoenix Tears, and Taizen's new zweihander Knight's Valor. Along the way as Cyrus collected various new materials from both the slain monsters and environment for use in chemical mixing.

"What are you planning to do with all that stuff, Cyrus?" Kyra asked as Cyrus removed a gayla's fluid sac with a combat knife.

"It's a secret," Cyrus answered with a smirk as he carefully drained the fluid from the sac into a spare vial and tucked it away in his jacket. He stood up and started to move forward when he suddenly knelt down into the snow and clutched his ribcage in agony.

"Damn it," Cyrus muttered under his breath as Kyra walked over to check on him. She had a look of concern as she asked, "You're still hurting, aren't you?"

"It's nothing. I'll be fine," Cyrus assured Kyra as he stood up under his own power. "Another couple of Cure spells, and I'll be as good as new."

"You really are a fool sometimes, hotshot," Kyra said disapprovingly. "You and I both know that those Cure spells won't heal you completely. All you're really doing at this point is masking the pain."

Cyrus placed his hand on Kyra's shoulder as he said with a smile, "I appreciate your concern, Kyra…really, I do. But I'm done resting, so please don't try and make me."

Kyra sighed. "Wasn't planning on it. Just try and not overdo it, all right?"

Cyrus nodded as Taizen shouted from the distance, "Cyrus! Kyra! I've found Trabia Garden!"

Cyrus and Kyra jogged over to where Taizen was and looked to where the massive SeeD was pointing. There, nestled between two mountains, was Trabia Garden. Unlike Balamb and Galbadia Gardens, Trabia was about half the size of either of them and resembled a silver dome with the trademark Garden halo hovering above it. This Trabia Garden, built cooperatively by both the Garden Alliance and the Shumi Tribe six years ago, borrowed heavily from the Shumi style of architecture and looked nothing like the original Garden that was destroyed by Galbadian missiles. However, it still maintained the remote charm that fueled this Garden's students' pride in their academy.

Cyrus, relieved to finally find the Garden, motioned for his teammates to follow him as he walked as quickly as he was able through the snowdrifts and rough terrain towards Trabia Garden's front door. Once the SeeDs made it, the doors slid open as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen were greeted by heat and a smiling student.

"Hello! Welcome to Trabia Garden! It's rare that we get any visitors out this way. What brings you folks out here?"

"My name is Cyrus Ranto. This is Kyra Vanguard and Taizen Kouken. We're SeeDs from Balamb Garden, and we've reason to believe Balamb Garden has been here recently."

"You're from Balamb?!" the welcoming student exclaimed. "Hold on, I'll get the Headmistress! She'll want to speak with you!"

"The feeling's mutual," Cyrus said with a nod. "Thank you for your…ugh, your…"

With that, Cyrus lost consciousness as the pain from his wounds became too much for his body and mind to handle. Before he could fall to the floor, Taizen and Kyra grabbed his arms and held him up.

"Cyrus! Wake up!" Kyra pleaded before clenching her free hand into a fist. "Damn it! Hey, where's the infirmary?"

The student pointed to a door in the distance as Taizen carried Cyrus fireman-style on his shoulders as the two of them ran quickly towards the infirmary. Kyra, however, couldn't stop worrying about her captain and friend as her mind was a convoluted mess of concern and anger.

"_Damned idiot," _Kyra thought as she and Taizen continued running.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cyrus opened his eyes and found himself lying on the floor in a familiar location:

The research facility in Esthar City's District 44.

However, instead of his SeeD cadet uniform, he was dressed in his regular clothes and wool overcoat. And in the center of the room was the corpse of a slain behemoth. Cyrus shook his head in disbelief as he got to his feet and scanned his surroundings.

"'A mortal's psyche is shaped by their most powerful memories.'" Cyrus muttered to himself reminiscently. "Ifrit! Where are you hiding?"

"I do not hide," Ifrit's voice said in a low grumble as he walked out from behind the fallen behemoth, followed at a distance by a hovering Leviathan. "I merely wait."

"Whatever you say," Cyrus replied as he crossed his arms in front of him. "Nice to see you again, Leviathan."

"The pleasure is all mine, young warrior," Leviathan said with a nod. "It's unfortunate that it had to be under these circumstances."

"Yeah. I fainted, didn't I?"

Ifrit nodded. "You were critically wounded in your last fight with the mortal Malachi. A week's time is not enough to fully heal all your injuries, even with magic."

"You don't think I know that?" Cyrus said flippantly. "I don't have time to rest. Rizo and the Seraphim Society are still in motion, and I still don't know what their ultimate goal is. I have to keep moving if I'm ever going to catch up…"

"We understand that, Cyrus…really, we do. However, you are doing no one any good in your current condition. And the strength we are lending you can't keep you going forward forever."

Cyrus reluctantly nodded, accepting Leviathan's reasoning. "Yeah, I know. And I'm sorry for relying so heavily on you guys."

"It is nothing to apologize for, Cyrus," Ifrit replied. "Just…just try and stay on the bed you are currently lying on until you meet this Garden's headmistress."

"Um, why?" Cyrus started to ask as Ifrit and Leviathan vanished and the room started to shake and dissolve. Cyrus felt the floor break apart as he started to fall.

"Son of a bitch," Cyrus swore as he plummeted at breakneck speeds into a dark void.

"_Here's hoping I wake up before the splat," _Cyrus thought as he closed his eyes and grasped for consciousness…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cyrus's eyes were greeted by blinding hospital lights as he regained consciousness and found himself lying on an infirmary bed, surrounded by several nurses and orderlies using a combination of medicine and magic to heal his wounds. Trabia Garden was famous in the Garden Alliance for training the finest in support operatives, including those in the medical field.

"You're finally awake! All right!" an overly cheery voice shouted as Cyrus turned his head to face the voice's owner. He recognized who it was immediately.

"Pleasure to meet you, Headmistress Tilmitt."

The perky brunette smiled at the lying Cyrus as she tilted her head and replied, "Hey, I'm just glad you're not dead! You were in pretty bad shape when your friends brought you in here."

"My friends…where are they?"

"Getting something to eat. They've already briefed me on what you're doing here. You all right to talk?"

Cyrus nodded as Headmistress Selphie Tilmitt, the renowned veteran of the Second Sorceress War, nodded at the medics as they filed out. The effervescent headmistress wore a SeeD uniform with a yellow tie as she grabbed a chair and sat down beside Cyrus's bed. She never stopped smiling as she asked, "So, you're looking for Squally and Garden, right?"

Cyrus nodded as Headmistress Tilmitt continued, "Well, he did stop by and asked if we could spare some SeeDs for what he called a 'collective training exercise.' He seemed more gloomy than usual, but I let our SeeDs go with him."

"And I take it you already know the real reason why Commander Leonhart asked for additional SeeDs?"

Headmistress Tilmitt nodded. "The Seraphim Society…sounds like a big group of baddies! And as you can imagine, getting news all the way out here is spotty at best."

"Well, it is a rather recent development," Cyrus admitted, "but trust me, they are anything but benign. I'm a walking testament to just how strong they are."

"No kidding," Headmistress Tilmitt remarked as she examined the scythe wielder's numerous injuries. "Your friends say that this was done by a former SeeD?"

Cyrus lowered his eyes as he explained, "Rizo Malachi. He's acquired the power of the Seraphim Society and he's junctioned with Diablos. I couldn't even stand up to him…couldn't even scratch him."

"Yep, same thing that girl Kyra told me. But you're still alive, so that's gotta count for something, right?"

Cyrus nodded as the pain started to creep back. He clenched his sides as Headmistress Tilmitt stood up and remarked, "Wow, you're still hurting, huh? Well, let me see what I can do."

With that, the petite brunette extended her palms over Cyrus's body as an unearthly energy started emanating from them. The pale green energy covered the wounded scythe fighter as he felt the racking pain slowly fade away and his wounds cauterize. Seconds later, Cyrus felt well enough to sit up and climb out of bed as he tested his limbs and muscles.

"Wow," Cyrus muttered. "What was that?"

"Just a trick I learned during the Second Sorceress War," Headmistress Tilmitt explained with a chuckled. "I call it 'Full Cure.' I guess it worked?"

"Yeah. Thanks," Cyrus said as he reached for his shirt and coat. "I don't suppose you know where Balamb Garden was heading?"

"Not really. Squally just said that he was heading for Centra. But that doesn't really help you out."

"Centra…" Cyrus said as he pondered something from a while back. "Did the Commander mention anything about where he was specifically heading?"

Headmistress Tilmitt crossed her arms and stared at the ceiling, deep in thought. "Oh, yeah! Squally did say they were going to investigate some ruins in the area. He also said that it was a lead from President Laguna and Doctor Odine in Esthar!"

"_Ruins…Esthar…Odine?" _Cyrus said to himself. _"Is there some connection between Odine, Esthar, and the Seraphim Society?"_

"_**Perhaps," **_Ifrit replied, _**"but perhaps not. Either way, it seems that Odine holds vital information. I think a trip back to Esthar is in order."**_

"_Right," _Cyrus thought as he turned to Headmistress Tilmitt and said, "Looks like I need to have a talk with Odine myself. Am I cleared to go?"

"Um, sure! That Full Cure should have you right as rain. Just don't overexert yourself for a couple of days and you'll be fine. In the meantime, I'm going to call up Irvy and get some answers. That cowboy better not try and hide anything from me, or I'm going to mash his manhood!"

"Okay, then…well, I better find Kyra and Taizen. Thank you for your help, Headmistress."

Tilmitt nodded and smiled as Cyrus grabbed Inferno and headed out of the pod-shaped infirmary into the central atrium. He asked a nearby student where the cafeteria was, and after getting directions, he walked with new resolve.

Cyrus finally had a trail and a lead and he swore that, no matter what, he would get some answers from Doc Odine…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Long time no upload! Hope I didn't keep you all waiting too long. This chapter's a bit of a bridge for the next major event in Esthar. So stay tuned for Chapter 30...wow, 30 chapters? I'm impressing myself.**

**As always, thanks to the Duelist of Dawn, Hiiro Mizutani, BestInInfluence, ExtremeuGamer, and Ally Todd for the reviews!**

**You gotta fight...for you right...to REVIEW!!! (****Please don't sue me, Beastie Boys!)**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	30. Chapter 30

The trip from Trabia to the SeeD dock in Esthar was a short one, but it gave Cyrus an opportunity to fully recuperate from his fight with Rizo. He felt one hundred percent as the Valeria glided into the cloaked marine base and pulled up in one of the open departure stations.

However, despite it being a SeeD vessel, the Valeria was of Galbadian design and unregistered in Esthar's vast database system. As such, when Cyrus and his team disembarked onto the dock, they were greeting by four Esthar soldiers, Talons pointed at them.

"Halt!" an officer barked as he walked up to face the trespassers. "This dock is strictly prohibited for civilian vessels, and…oh, dear Hyne! It's you!"

Cyrus nodded as he glared daggers at the Estharian officer…the same one from the SeeD exam. "I'd say it was good to see you again, but I'd be lying. This vessel is SeeD property, and we are full-fledged SeeDs. Therefore, we have every right to use this docking bay and fully intend to dock our vessel here until our business in Esthar is completed. Unless of course you want to argue about it…"

The officer noted the seriousness in Cyrus's tone as he managed to stammer, "W-w-what is your business in Esthar?"

"We're here to see Doctor Odine," Kyra explained. "We have reason to suspect he has information vital to our current mission."

"And your mission is…?"

"Classified," Taizen interrupted as he slowly walked up the officer. "So please, move out of our way."

Despite being fully intimidated by Taizen and the others, the officer refused to back down, leading to a stalemate. Cyrus was about ready to lose his patience when a voice shouted over an intercom:

"Officer Jakis! Stand down! We've Scanned them and they are in fact registered SeeDs, even if their vessel is not. Call your men off and let them through!"

The officer, Jakis, reluctantly motioned for his soldiers to step aside as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen walked right past them to a cavalcade of Estharian personnel carriers. Cyrus took one second to look Jakis in the eyes before shaking his head and following his team.

Without asking for permission, Taizen climbed behind the wheel of one of the vehicles as Cyrus and Kyra sat down in the passenger seats. Taizen started the vehicle and drove it out of the docking bay and towards the tunnel connecting it to Esthar City. Taizen, being from Esthar, knew exactly where to go as he merged onto one of the superhighways and headed for Odine's Laboratory.

"So, Cyrus," Kyra spoke up as Taizen continued to drive, "how exactly do you plan on getting an audience with Odine? I don't think the Estharian officials are just going to let us waltz in."

"Probably not," Cyrus admitted. "But we are getting answers from Odine. He knows something about where Balamb Garden's heading, and he probably knows something about the Seraphim Society. At this point, I don't really care how we do it…just so long as I get to talk to Odine."

"Wow," Kyra said with a whistle, "you're really intense…more so than usual. I have to admit, it's kind of hot."

In spite of Cyrus's serious attitude, he had no choice but to laugh. "Only 'kind of?' Kyra, you wound me…and not physically like you usually do."

"Smartass," Kyra swore as both she and Cyrus got a good chuckle out of the exchange. Their reverie was interrupted by Taizen announcing, "We're here."

The vehicle came to a stop as the SeeDs climbed out and just stared at the large tower that was O-Labs. The spire reached high into the sky and was dwarfed in size only by the Presidential Palace off in the distance. Cyrus shook his head as he and his friends walked quickly towards the front door, only to be greeted by an Esthar soldier.

"Hold it! Who are you people?" the guard asked in an authoritative tone.

"We're SeeDs," Cyrus simply said, "and we're here to see Doctor Odine."

"Nobody sees Doctor Odine save for official Estharian diplomats, military officers, and members of the Presidential Cabinet. Even SeeDs are not permitted to step foot into O-Labs without permission from the President himself!"

"Wow, is that right?" Cyrus said sarcastically. "That is a problem…for you that is."

In one fluid motion, Cyrus grabbed a vial from his vest and tossed it at the Esthar soldier, paralyzing him and rendering him mute. He stood there like a statue as Cyrus simply smirked and walked past him, Kyra and Taizen following close behind. The trio walked for a couple of minutes before reaching a circular seat levitating below a clear tube.

"This is a transport," Taizen explained. "We need only sit on that and it will take us where we desire."

"Will it take us to Odine's private lab?" Cyrus inquired.

Taizen shook his head. "My father once told me that the two most secure places in Esthar City were the President's office and Odine's laboratory. I would assume that to get to Odine's lab would require some measure of clearance."

"And I take it that 'smashing' isn't the clearance?" Kyra asked half-hopingly

Cyrus shook his head. "I wish. Maybe…hey Taizen, can this thing take us to a computer?"

"Most likely. Why?"

Cyrus flashed a toothy smile. "Just get me to a computer…I'll get our clearance."

Taizen was confused, but he had learned a while back never to doubt his captain. So, he simply nodded as he motioned for Cyrus and Kyra to sit down on the transport disk. After sitting down himself, Taizen pressed a series of buttons on the transport's center console, causing the disk to levitate higher into the clear tube and accelerate towards its destination.

Cyrus simply kept his arms crossed as he held a familiar data disk in his hand. He silently thanked his father again as the transport continued to fly.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Doctor Odine was infamous in Esthar and around the world for being not only one of the most accomplished scientists of his generation, but also one of the craziest. And it wasn't just his choice of wardrobe (in particular, the large, red and white-striped umbrella-like collar that he was fond of wearing).

Odine was relentless and brutally efficient in his research. In his mind, what his research was used for was of little consequence…only that his inventions and ideas were proven in the field and reflected his genius. Because of Odine's lack of ethics, he worked for whoever would promote his work…even the ruthless dictator Sorceress Adel. One story tells that, upon realizing that Sorceress Ultimecia was using one of his inventions to wreak havoc upon the present, his only response was one of joy at the thought of one of his inventions being used in the future with great success.

Still, it was thanks to Odine that modern military para-magic was developed and the Guardian Forces were discovered. To a degree, Odine made it possible for Balamb Garden to separate itself from the rest of the Garden Alliance and establish itself on the global stage by specializing in GF junctioning and magic.

On this particular day, Odine was cursing out his subordinates for what was a minute miscalculation during one of his tests.

"You idiots!" Odine screamed in his heavily-accented voice. "Vat is your malfunction? Can you not complete a zimple equation? The whole experiment iz ruined because of your incompetence!"

"Forgive us, Doctor!" one of the subordinates pleaded in a nervous tone. "Just give us a chance to reset the parameters, and we'll…"

"No, no, no, no!" the diminutive Odine shouted as he jumped up and down in a fit of rage. "Ze experiment is a complete failure! No amount of recalibration will change zat! Throw it out, and start over!"

"Y-yes, Doctor!" the subordinates said in unison, knowing full well that doing otherwise would punch their ticket as one of Odine's "test subjects." While President Loire did his best to curb Odine's more inhumane tests, that didn't stop Odine from trying in secret…

The familiar sound of a transport disk landing caught Odine's attention as three well-armed young fighters stepped off it and walked through the doorway leading into his lab. He turned to face the intruders and shook his fist in defiance.

"Assassins! Come to kill Odine, ja? Vell, it will not be easy! Come on, you vant to fisticuffs?"

"Relax, Odine. We're not here to kill you. Just to ask you some questions?"

Odine stopped shaking his fist as he stroked his chin. "Oh? And you are?"

"Cyrus Ranto," the scythe-wielder answered, "and this is Kyra Vanguard and Taizen Kouken. We're SeeDs from Balamb Garden."

"SeeDs? How did you get to Odine's lab? And vat do you vant?" Odine demanded.

Cyrus replied, "The front guard's paralyzed, and I happened to find a terminal and hack my way to getting access to your precious lab. And what I want is information."

"About vat? And why should Odine help you?"

"Well, you can help us willingly, or…"

Cyrus turned to Kyra who slid on one of her Soul Crusher gloves. He smiled at Odine as he continued, "…or she can make you help us. And trust me, you really don't want that."

Odine, in spite of his fury, bowed his head in defeat. "You vin. I vill tell you vat you vant to know."

"Where's Balamb Garden heading?" Cyrus asked without hesitating.

Odine's eyes perked up at that question as he excitedly explained, "Vell, ze Garden is heading for ze Alio Ruins. Information gathered from ze recent SeeD exam in District 44 was decrypted and ve discovered…"

"Wait a minute!" Cyrus interrupted. "District 44? The same district where I…?"

"Do not interrupt me!" Odine ordered before he realized what Cyrus just said. "It vas you that retrieved the data from District 44? Vell zen, Odine thanks you, boy! The information you collected vas most interesting!"

"What information? Tell me!" the scythe-wielding SeeD demanded.

Odine nodded his head as he continued, "Before ze First Sorceress War, a segment of Esthar's scientists vere conducting research into an old Centra ruin called 'Alio.' Ze scientists found various artifacts and devices from ze Centra Empire, but ze biggest find vas a cache of crystals zat had the curious effect of draining magical energy.

"Ze researchers gathered ze crystals and brought zem here for more in-depth research. Ze experiments vere called 'Project Seraphim.'"

"'Project Seraphim?' As in, the Seraphim Society?" Cyrus implored.

"Correct!" Odine exclaimed. "Ze cultists you know as the Seraphim Society were once researchers vorking for Odine! At least, a handful of zem vere. I cannot say vere the majority of zem came from…"

"What do you know about the Seraphim Society, Odine?" Kyra asked as she started to slip on her other Soul Crusher glove.

"Just vat Commander Leonhart told me," Odine replied with a tinge of nervousness. "Ze only reason I know zat these Seraphim Society iz ze same as Project Seraphim iz because I recognized the name ze Commander gave me: Ezerath. He vas one of the researchers on Project Seraphim. Once ze Sorceress Adel came into power and declare war, Ezerath and Project Seraphim disappeared. However, his research helped Odine in developing ze GF junctioning technique and ze power of para-magic."

"So then, you don't know what the Society's goals are?" Cyrus asked, dejected.

Odine shook his head. "All I know is vat I told you…that, and ze location of ze Alio Ruins."

"Where?" Taizen inquired.

Odine waved his hand as one of his assistants displayed a holographic map of the world behind the crazed doctor. Odine then pointed at a point on the Centra continent and said, "Ze Alio Ruins are located below ze structure known as Odin's Tower. I know nothing else."

Cyrus nodded. "That's enough. Thanks for your help, Doc. And…sorry for breaking in."

"Vell, if you feel bad about it, perhaps you could…"

Before Odine could finish his proposal, the sound of distant explosions echoed in the distant. The diminutive doctor looked angry and confused as he asked an attendant, "Vat? Vat is going on?"

"We're getting reports in from the Palace, Doctor! It seems a group of white-robed magic users has been reported in Districts 28, 15, and 9! The military is engaging them, but the invaders are accompanied by Lunar Cry monsters from the quarantined areas…"

"Damn it!" Odine swore. "All zis iz happening, and you are still here? Go out zer and gather some samples!"

The attendants nodded nervously as they gathered their equipment. Odine turned around to face the SeeDs again, only to find that the trio had reached the transport disk and was heading down in a hurry.

"Sorry to run out, Doc! But I still have questions for the Society, and I aim to get them. Thanks again for the info!" Cyrus shouted as the transport disk descended and enter the guide tube.

Odine simply shook his head in disbelief. "No respect for genius! And those SeeDs vill ruin everything…again!"

The doctor could do nothing except for stomp his small feet on the floor as the SeeDs left Odine Laboratories and headed for the districts under assault.

"No rest for the wicked," Cyrus muttered as he and his team headed for another transport disk.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**So we get closer to the motives of the Seraphim Society. Hope you all enjoy it. Man, this chapter was hard work! Odine-speak kicked my ass! Hope it all turned out well, but let me know if it didn't!**

**Chapter 31: More fighting!**

**Thanks to the Duelist of Dawn, Ally Todd, ExtremeuGamer, and Hiiro Mizutani for the reviews. And to those of you who've read this story and not reviewed...why not? Are you trying to make me crazy?!**

**Well, crazier anyway!**

**My stimulus plan? To generate more reviews! How am I going to do that? Um, still working on that.**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	31. Chapter 31

The transport disk carrying Cyrus and his team came to a gentle stop at Esthar's District 9, famous for being one of several commercial sections in the city. However, there were no window shoppers this day, as the shopping plaza had become a warzone between the Seraphim Society and the E-Army. The Seraphim Society's ranks were augmented by Lunar Cry monsters, all of whom shared the same yellow eyes as their handlers.

Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen wasted little time getting off their transport as they immediately jumped into the fray, weapons drawn and ready to strike. Kyra struck first with a flurry of slashes at a pair of turtapods, killing the monsters before they could react. A pair of Seraphim cultists attempted to bum rush Kyra, only to meet a gruesome end by Kyra's powerful fists. Blood dripped from Kyra's Phoenix Tears as she looked for new enemies to annihilate.

Taizen, for his part, squared off against a trio of Seraphim cultists who were focusing their energy into casting Blizzara spells. One of the spells managed to catch Taizen and encase him in ice; however, his strength plus the power of his three GFs allowed him to break free, rush the cultists, and strike one down with a cleaving slash from Knight's Valor. Then, without hesitation, Taizen conjured a powerful Thundaga spell and cast it at the remaining two cultists, sending hundreds of thousands of volts of electricity coursing through them and destroying their internal organs. As the cultists fell, Taizen immediately spotted a pack of toramas harassing a four-man squad of Esthar soldiers and quickly ran to assist them.

Meanwhile, Cyrus had his hands full with a dozen imps and their Seraphim controllers. The monsters and the cultists continued hurling spell after spell at the scythe wielder as he continuously dodged or blocked them, all the while using Inferno to cull their numbers. Finally, after several minutes, Cyrus had reduced the number of enemies to six as he held his right hand out and shouted, "Tornado!"

A powerful twister formed at the feet of the imps and the cultists as it sent them flying into the air. Cyrus, without missing a beat, summoned fiery energy into his hand and cast it in the form of two Firaga spells. The spells collided with the Tornado, turning the wind storm into a maelstrom of flames. The imps and cultist screamed as they were reduced to ashes and spread to the winds.

The Esthar soldiers participated in this battle took notice of Cyrus's attack and immediately ran to rendezvous with the SeeD. One of them, a noncommissioned officer, approached Cyrus and exclaimed, "Wow! That was impressive, sir…but, who are you people?"

"We're SeeDs," Cyrus explained, "and as much as I'd like to tell you more, we're kind of in the middle of a battle right now. The only thing you need to know is that we're allies. So let's kick some ass and then talk. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" the NCO barked as he gave his troops orders and reestablished the lines of defense and attack. Cyrus turned in the other direction as he waved to Kyra and Taizen, who were finishing off their enemies with brutal blows and strikes. Once their oppositions were eliminated, the two SeeDs quickly ran over to their captain and awaited his instructions.

However, Cyrus was interrupted by the sound of heavy metal clanking. He turned to see a pair of iron giants lumbering towards him and his team, their massive swords in hand.

"This could be a problem," Taizen stated as his grip on Knight's Valor tightened.

"Bring them on!" Kyra shouted excitedly in response.

Cyrus shook his head and smiled. "Before you go off and rush headlong into a fight you can't win Kyra, allow me to help even the odds."

With that, Cyrus reached into his coat and pulled out a pair of vials containing a reddish liquid. The scythe-wielding SeeD reeled back and tossed the vials at the iron giants. The glass containers shattered, releasing the red chemical on the giants' armor. Seconds later, the red liquid spread to encompass the iron giants' entire bodies as it vaporized and left the iron giants with a new red-purple hue.

"Okay Kyra, they're all yours," Cyrus said to his red-haired teammate. Kyra smiled widely as she rushed the two iron giants and, to the surprise of Taizen, drove her Phoenix Tears deep into the chest of the first giant, forcing the steel monster to drop to one knee as Kyra quickly decapitated it with a dagger slash. The other iron giant tried to cleave Kyra in two with its zweihander, but the crimson-haired fighter amazingly used her fist to not only block, but shatter the massive blade before jumping up and driving both her feet into its head, crushing it with a dropkick. The iron giant staggered back and fell to the ground dead as Kyra landed on her feet without so much as a scratch.

"Incredible," Taizen finally managed to blurt out.

"Yeah, she is, isn't she?" Cyrus replied.

Kyra shouted at her two teammates, "Hey! How was that?"

"Excellent work, Kyra!" Cyrus shouted back as she ran back to join her teammates. "I have to admit, even I didn't think that would work as well as it did."

"What was in those vials?" Kyra inquired.

Cyrus responded by grabbing another vial from his coat. "This is a combination of several different compounds, but the primary ingredient is that mysterious fluid that gaylas produce. It's got the ability to lower the physical resistance of whatever it touches."

"Like a bottled-up Meltdown spell!" Kyra exclaimed.

"Right. Since we haven't been able to stock up on any Meltdowns, I figured this was the next best thing. Sure made handling those iron giants a hell of a lot easier, didn't it?"

"They certainly did," Taizen interjected. "That was incredible foresight on your part, Cyrus."

"Hey, it was…" Cyrus started to say before he was interrupted by the sound of flapping wings. "Oh, hell in a handbasket! What is it now?"

The trio ran past the battle as it was becoming obvious that the E-Army was regaining the upper hand quickly. Once they made it out of the shopping plaza, they saw the source of the flapping sound: a flock of elnoyles heading for the Presidential Palace.

"Hyne-fucking-damn it!" Cyrus swore. "Now we have to deal with elnoyles, too?"

"Cyrus, the President!" Taizen reminded his captain.

"Right! Let's hustle, people! The last thing I want on my conscience is the death of Esthar's leader!"

"Right!" Kyra responded as all three SeeDs made a beeline for the Presidential Palace.

As they pursued the elnoyles, Cyrus whispered some orders to Taizen, who nodded knowingly as he focused his energy.

"_Hope that buys us some time," _Cyrus mentally hoped as he called on every last iota of his junctioned strength to gain more speed.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Presidential Palace of Esthar was a shell-shocked battleground as Esthar's Presidential Guard squared off against members of the Seraphim Society. Gunfire and magic created a deadly crossfire as the two groups continued their onslaught.

Amongst the Esthar soldiers, a man in a light-blue shirt and khaki pants joined the soldiers in the firefight with an older-model Galbadian machine gun. He was flanked by two of his aides. One was a massive man wearing a tattered white tank top, military-green cargo pants, and a blue bandana on his head, and the other was a dark-skinned lithe-looking combatant wearing a reddish-brown bodysuit.

"Laguna, this isn't exactly what I meant by taking charge of the situation," the dark-skinned man said in scolding tone to the man with the machine gun.

The man called Laguna simply shouted over the gunfire, "Yeah, well…so what? I'm at least doing something other than just twiddling my fingers in my office! What would you and Ward have me do, Kiros? Just shout out orders from my panic room?"

"And why not?" the dark-skinned man, Kiros replied matter-of-factly. "You ARE the President, aren't you? That's what normal presidents do in times of crisis."

The massive man, Ward, made several motions to Kiros. An accident decades ago had left Ward scarred and unable to talk, but Kiros was usually able to decipher what Ward was trying to say.

"Good point, Ward," Kiros agreed. "Laguna hasn't acted like a president ever since he got elected, so why start today?"

"Exactly! Now, are you two just going to sit there, or are you gonna help out?" Laguna asked as he reloaded his machine gun, Desperado. Before he could continue shooting back, he was caught off-guard by the sound of silence. "Huh? What's going on? Why'd the booming and the bang-bang stop?"

With that, Laguna and his two aides peered over the makeshift barricade they and the rest of the Presidential Guard was stationed behind, only to see a dozen or so Seraphim cultist standing inside a magical barrier, looking like they were meditating on something or another. Laguna tried to fire at the barrier, only to have his bullets ricochet off the magical wall and go flying off in different directions.

"Damn!" Laguna swore as one of his own bullets flew a foot above his head. "What the heck are those guys doing in there?"

"I can't imagine it's anything good," Kiros commented as Ward nodded in agreement. They finally got their answer in the form of a dozen elnoyles approaching from the distance. The Estharians and their leader had looks of concern as they knew the winged monstrosities would be able to overpower them in an instant once they were close enough to attack.

"Sir!" one of the Presidential guards said to Laguna. "We can't have you here when those elnoyles attack. Please, take shelter inside the Palace!"

"Screw that! I'm not any safer in the Palace than I am out here. So I'm staying!" Laguna replied as he crossed his arms, almost looking like a pouting child. Both Kiros and Ward shook their heads in disbelief as they braced themselves for the elnoyles' onslaught.

However, it never happened.

In a flash of blinding white light, a large mechanical construct arose from the ground and towered above the Presidential Palace. The Esthar soldiers looked on in awe at the mech as Laguna quickly recognized it.

"Hey guys! Isn't that that GF…what's its name, Alistair?"

"Alexander," Kiros corrected, "though I wonder who summoned it?"

Before Laguna could reply to his friend's question, Alexander's shoulders opened up and started charging up. The Holy Sentinel's energy reached its threshold as he shouted, "Fiends, feel my wrath! Come forth, Holy Judgment!"

Streams of holy energy rocketed out of Alexander's shoulder launchers and collided with the elnoyles before they could reach the Palace. Not one elnoyle was spared as the energy ripped through them and reduced them to nothingness. Once the energy had eliminated its target, Alexander lowered his shoulders and released the excess heat from the attack via vents on his legs.

The Seraphim cultists looked on in shock as their monsters disappeared before their eyes from Alexander's Holy Judgment. It was at that moment that Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen finally made it to the Palace, standing between the cultists and the Palace's barricade.

Laguna stood up and addressed the three strangers. "Hey, you guys? You the ones that summoned Alabaster?"

"It's Alexander," Taizen replied, "and yes, we did. Leave this to us, President Loire."

Before Laguna could respond back, the cultists dropped their barrier and stared down the SeeDs. Their yellow eyes glared with anger as one of them finally spoke up:

"So, the reaper and his comrades have once again meddled in the affairs of the Great Hyne and the Seraphim Society. And they use what once was our blessed power against us? Intolerable."

"Reaper, huh? That's not the first time I've been called that," Cyrus shouted back. "Tell me: what is it that the Seraphim Society hopes to accomplish? What's the secret of the Alio Ruins?"

"Alio? There is no secret. I'm certain Odine and his lackeys have told you what gifts were granted to the Seraphim by the goddess. As to what we hope to accomplish…well, I am afraid that telling you will be pointless."

"And why's that?" Kyra angrily demanded.

"Because we will end you here and now…before Vascaroon's heir can undo our holy work," the cultist replied calmly as he and his brethren started focusing their energy.

"Glorious Hyne! We, your humble servants, offer our souls to you! Send forth the great destroyer, the Draconic Guardian, to smite our foes and avenge our sacrifice!"

With that, much like back at the Fire Cavern, the cultists spontaneously combusted as the skies became cloudy, like a giant storm was rolling in. Then, a shadowy figure with large, clawed wings flew through the clouds as it rapidly approached the Presidential Palace. The clouds dispersed as a dark blue winged-dragon with well-defined arms, legs, and a tail dived down and flapped its wings as it hovered in the air. The summoned dragon stared down Alexander with yellow eyes as Cyrus tightened his grip on Inferno.

"No, not him too…"

In spite of his rage, Cyrus kept his composure as he started focusing his energy for a summoning, something Kyra mimicked. Taizen simply stood still as all three SeeDs prepared to face their newest opponent:

The King of Dragons, Bahamut…

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Bahamut finally makes his grand appearance...albeit as a puppet of the Seraphim Society. How will the gang take down the legendary GF? And will I ever reveal the grand plot of the Seraphim Society? All in good time, fellow travelers...all in good time.**

**Digital cookies goes to the Duelist of Dawn, Ally Todd, Hiiro Mizutani, ExtremeuGamer, BestInInfluence, and my newest reviewer trevorami! Thanks as always, and keep them coming!**

**Chapter 31: The epicness explodes as Bahamut launches his assault. Hope you all are looking forward...**

**_*Sound of glass shattering. Truth picks up his cane in response.*_**

**_Truth: Who the hell is that? Whoever it is, I'm going to whoop their sorry ass!_**

**_*Cautiously, Truth walks to the broken window and notices that nothing is there save for an old-model toy train with a note attached to it. He picks it up, removes the note, and reads it.*_**

**_Truth: "I see you when you're sleeping, and I know when you're awake. So watch your back Exile...because your worst nightmare is coming back to exact retribution..." What in the hell is this?_**

**_*Truth hears a ticking sound coming from the toy train. Frantically, he tosses it out the window and watches as it explodes. Truth looks concerned as he returns to his laptop*_**

**Damn it all! The bastard...he's back! Well, if he thinks I'm going to just roll over, he's going to be sadly disappointed! I'll kick his roly-poly ass from here to Siberia!**

**Anyway, make sure to leave me a review. I'll need them as motivation for the battles to come!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	32. Chapter 32

Bahamut hovered in the air, glaring down the mortals and Alexander as Cyrus and Kyra finished summoning Ifrit and the Phoenix respectively. The Flame of Resurrection immediately took to the air with its summoner on its back as Cyrus quickly discussed strategy with the Demon Lord of Flames.

"Ifrit, if you know a way to help us beat Bahamut, I'd really like to hear it."

Ifrit shook his head. "I have none. Bahamut is not called the Dragon King for nothing. We do have the advantage in power with Alexander, but I do not believe it will be enough. Bahamut is the perfect combination of power, speed, and mobility…and fighting him in this environment will be anything but simple."

"Thanks for the confidence boost, partner," Cyrus replied with a snarl. "Well, I guess we just go all out! Taizen, tell Alexander to let loose with everything he's got!"

Taizen nodded as Alexander opened his shoulders for another barrage. Once the holy energy reached its climax, Alexander shouted to his winged adversary, "Bahamut, forgive me for what must be done. Holy Judgment!"

With that, Alexander's Holy Judgment streaked towards Bahamut in a series of white energy streams. The Dragon King, however, deftly dived out of the way of the attack and flew quickly towards the Holy Sentinel. Once he was in range, Bahamut charged up a powerful series of Flare-like attacks and unleashed them in a barrage right on Alexander's metallic body.

The mechanical GF, unable to protect himself from the onslaught or charge up for another Holy Judgment, had no choice but to take the attack head-on. Once Bahamut had finished his onslaught, Alexander resumed charging for another Holy Judgment, albeit much more slowly.

Meanwhile, Kyra decided to try and engage Bahamut in an aerial dogfight as the Phoenix dive-bombed towards the Dragon King. Bahamut, noticing the rapidly-approaching Firebird, flapped its wings and dodged the Flame of Resurrection's attack. In response, the Phoenix regained its balance in the air as it turned and unleashed a powerful stream of fire at Bahamut. The Phoenix's attack managed to graze Bahamut's right wing as the Dragon King roared in pain and twisted in the air to put out the flames, dropping about a hundred feet. Once the fire was extinguished, Bahamut retaliated by launching more energy spheres from his maw at the Phoenix.

Kyra telepathically ordered her GF to dodge the attack as the Phoenix bobbed and weaved in the sky. However, the Flame of Resurrection was unable to dodge the final Flare ball as it hit the Firebird squarely in the chest. Before the Phoenix could even react, Bahamut flew down to grab the fiery GF and its summoner as it held on in a suicide dive right on top of Alexander. The Holy Sentinel could do nothing as the Dragon King drove the Phoenix down hard on top of Alexander. As Alexander, the Phoenix, and Kyra tried to collect their senses, Bahamut flew up high as he started collecting energy in his mouth…

"No…Kyra!" Cyrus shouted, realizing what was coming next. "Ifrit!"

Ifrit nodded as he quickly scaled Alexander's body at a rate no mortal could hope to match as Bahamut continued gathering energy. Ifrit made it to the top of Alexander and towards where Kyra had been thrown off of the Phoenix as Bahamut's energy reached its limit.

Then, in an instant, the Dragon King unleashed all the energy he had collected in an instant…a vicious attack called "Mega Flare." Ifrit had barely enough time to grab Kyra and jump off as the Mega Flare descended on top of Alexander and the Phoenix, hitting both legendary Guardian Forces with incredible destructive power. Both Alexander and the Phoenix had no way to shield themselves as the Mega Flare inflicted unbearable pain on the two of them, forcing them both to return to their respective summoners' minds. Bahamut roared in defiance as both its adversaries fell before him.

Meanwhile, Ifrit had landed next to Cyrus and Taizen as Kyra gingerly climbed out of Ifrit's grasp and landed on her feet. She was frustrated, but otherwise unharmed.

"That dragon's really starting to piss me off!" Kyra shouted in anger.

Taizen, however, was much more somber. "Both the Phoenix and Alexander together were unable to defeat him. What can we possibly do to defeat this enemy?"

"Whatever it takes," Cyrus simply answered as Ifrit started to seethe. Cyrus noticed this as he asked, "Ifrit, what is it?"

Without saying a word, Ifrit roared as he used his strength to propel himself at breakneck speeds at a hovering Bahamut. Cyrus tried to stop Ifrit, but it was much like trying to halt the rampage of an army of berserked ruby dragons. Bahamut, recognizing this new threat, wrapped his wings around himself to block the Demon Lord of Flames's assault as Ifrit rammed himself into the Dragon King.

Although Bahamut was able to prevent any injuries at the hands of Ifrit, the fiery demon was able to wrap his arms around the dragon and force him down. Both Bahamut and Ifrit plummeted at terminal velocity as the GFs cratered into the ground. As Cyrus watched this all unfold, he motioned for Kyra to follow him and Taizen to remain behind as he ran towards the scene of the crash.

A minute after impact, both Ifrit and Bahamut woozily crawled out of the crater they created and got back to their feet as Ifrit made the first move: channeling his fiery energy into a massive fireball in front of him. As soon as the fireball was completely formed, Ifrit reeled back and slammed his massive fist into it, shouting, "Hell Fire!"

The fireball rocketed towards Bahamut and connected, engulfing the Dragon King in incredibly intense flames. Bahamut roared and screeched in agony as Ifrit dropped to one knee in exhaustion. He watched as his flames continued to torment the Dragon King as he attempted to catch his breath.

However, before Ifrit could even react, the flames surrounding Bahamut were blown away by a pair of flapping dragon wings as a bloodied Bahamut regained his composure and ascended to the sky once again. And just like before, the Dragon King charged up for another Mega Flare. Ifrit, because of his injuries, couldn't even move or conjure up another Hell Fire as he simply looked on, waiting for the inevitable end…

"Diamond Dust!"

Ifrit turned to see the familiar sight of Shiva casting her signature attack at Bahamut, interrupting his Mega Flare as the icy energy surrounded him. Before it could solidify into ice, Bahamut used the energy he had stored and formed a sphere of Flare-like energy around his body, melting the ice before it could trap him. Bahamut's yellow eyes glowed angrily as Cyrus and Kyra finally caught up to Ifrit.

"Cyrus, what are you doing here?" Ifrit growled as his summoner used his stocked Fire spells to revitalize the Demon Lord of Flames.

"That was real stupid, partner. Taking on the King of Dragons on your own after he just obliterated two legendary GFs? What exactly were you thinking?"

Ifrit, in spite of his rage, chuckled as Cyrus's fiery magic finished healing him. "I suppose I was not thinking. But I almost defeated him."

"'Almost' isn't enough, furball," Kyra scolded. "Either we do this all the way or we don't do it at all!"

Cyrus snickered as he turned to Ifrit. "You heard the lady, Ifrit. Let's take Bahamut down."

Ifrit's face betrayed a wicked grin as he jumped up and sent several large fireballs rocketing towards a hovering Bahamut. The Dragon King flew out of the way of Ifrit's barrage, but did not notice that the Ice Maiden had snuck up behind him and had finished gathering energy around her palms. Shiva unleashed another Diamond Dust right on Bahamut's back, encasing the GF's wings completely in ice and sending him falling to the ground again.

However, this time Bahamut was able to right himself and land on his feet, although the massive dragon still left a dent in the Estharian highway where he landed. As Bahamut struggled to free his wings, Cyrus and Kyra took advantage of the situation and rushed the grounded Dragon King as they dug their blades into Bahamut's chest. The legendary GF snarled and roared in pain as he used his arms to swat both Cyrus and Kyra away. The scythe wielder and the crimson-haired fighter ignored the pain as they got back to their feet and grabbed their respective weapons tighter.

Bahamut, however, had finally freed his wings as he started to ascend to the relative safety of the skies. Cyrus, however, was having none of that as he shouted to his teammate, "Kyra! Get me up there!"

Kyra nodded as she cast a Tornado spell right at Cyrus's feet. The wind spell sent Cyrus flying high into the air as the SeeD used Aero spells to steady and aim himself directly towards a hovering Bahamut. Cyrus used one last Aero to propel himself directly at Bahamut as he dug Inferno's blade deep into the Dragon King's shoulder.

Bahamut, enraged, tried to shake Cyrus off in retaliation. The scythe wielder, however, held on as he conjured up a Firaga spell and cast it right into the Dragon King's eyes, blinding him. Bahamut, unable to lose his unwanted passenger and now unable to see where he was going, accidentally flew himself right into an overpass and completely destroyed several buildings as he crashed to the ground again, Cyrus in tow.

After landing, Cyrus willed his bruised and bloodied body to stand as Bahamut emerged from the pile of rubble he was buried underneath, now enraged to the point of insanity. Bahamut stared down Cyrus with the same hateful yellow eyes as Cyrus held Inferno behind his back and shouted:

"Bahamut! Is this the strength of the mighty King of Dragons? You've pushed all of us to our limits, you've destroyed much of Esthar City, and for what? You are considered the strongest of the Guardian Forces, and yet you're nothing more than a puppet for the Seraphim Society. Where is your pride, King of GFs?"

That statement seemed to shake Bahamut out of his trance for an instant, but his eyes were glazed in yellow light soon afterwards as he charged up for one more Mega Flare. Cyrus's shoulders slumped as he held Inferno in front of him and gripped the scythe tightly. He took a deep breath as he ran towards Bahamut as the GF continued gathering energy…

Then, just as Cyrus had closed the gap, Bahamut unleashed his Mega Flare directly towards the SeeD. The powerful energy pulse flew towards Cyrus and annihilated everything in its path. The Mega Flare seemed to vaporize Cyrus as it subsided and Bahamut searched high and low for his target in the smoke and dust.

"Wow, that was impressive. A Mega Flare up close? Even I didn't think I'd survive that."

The dust from Bahamut's ultimate attack cleared as Cyrus stood with Inferno resting on his left shoulder. His clothes were tattered and bloody and he seemed to have broken his arm in the attack, but still he was alive and well enough to stand. He held out his right arm and pointed his palm at Bahamut as he quietly reached out, as if he was drawing something.

"Let me help you, Bahamut," Cyrus pleaded. "I can free you from the Seraphim Society's hold. I just need to reach you…the real you."

With that, just like with Leviathan, Cyrus attempted to draw out the King of Dragons from the shackles of the Seraphim Society's magic. Bahamut, or rather, the magic holding Bahamut captive resisted Cyrus's attempts as the Dragon King and the scythe-wielding SeeD struggled for control. Cyrus's friends along with Shiva and Ifrit managed to find him locked in a battle of wills with Bahamut as they could only stand and watch.

Then, after a minute of mental combat, Bahamut finally relented as he collapsed and vanished in a flash of energy. Cyrus, immediately afterwards, collapsed too as he reached his limits. Kyra was the first to reach the scythe fighter as she knelt down, picked Cyrus's head up, and cradled it in her lap.

"Cyrus? Are you okay?" the crimson-haired fighter asked in a concerned tone.

Cyrus opened his eyes as he smiled. "Well, either you're Kyra and I survived, or I've died and gone to heaven."

With that remark, Kyra slapped Cyrus lightly on the top of his head as Cyrus started laughing. "All right, that answers that question. Think you can help me up?"

Kyra nodded as she helped Cyrus get back to his feet. As the male SeeD picked up his fallen scythe, Taizen, Shiva, and Ifrit ran over to check on him.

"Cyrus, what happened? Where is Bahamut?" Taizen asked.

Cyrus smiled as he shook his head. "Can't you tell? Take a look."

With that, Cyrus held up his scythe, but this scythe was no longer Inferno. This weapon had a straight shaft much like his first scythe, but Cyrus's weapon was now as black as the starless sky and its blade was steel in color and close to three feet long with a gentle curve. Etched on the blade were the images of Ifrit, Leviathan, and Bahamut, all looking like they were rushing into battle. Cyrus sat this new weapon's shaft end on the ground as he turned around and pointed at the back of his neck.

There, freshly branded, was the tribal effigy of the King of Dragons himself.

"Three teammates, three legendary GFs," Cyrus said as he turned to face his friends. "If I was a believer in fate, I'd say this would be a sign of something greater…but I don't believe in fate. Let's go…we need to prepare for our next destination."

"The Alio Ruins," the familiar voice of President Laguna Loire shouted as he, Kiros, and Ward climbed over the wreckage and ran over to where the SeeDs and GFs were standing. Ifrit and Shiva took the opportunity to return to Cyrus and Kyra's minds as Laguna continued:

"The Alio Ruins, right? If you guys are using GFs, then that must mean you're from Balamb Garden. That's where Squall was heading, so you're probably trying to catch up to him…am I right?"

Cyrus nodded as Laguna exclaimed, "Awesome! Well, you'd best be moving, then! The early mongoose catches the snake, after all!"

Kiros shook his head in disbelief. "First off, it's 'the early bird catches the worm.' Second, look at them. They're in no condition to leave after a battle like that. Ward, could you please show our new friends to a hotel before our esteemed President opens his mouth and embarrasses Esthar and himself again?"

Laguna looked stupefied as Ward shrugged and motioned for the SeeDs to follow him and his personal guard of Esthar soldiers. Cyrus, with Kyra and Taizen's help, followed the massive man to a troop transport as they climbed in and allowed the vehicle's driver to take them away from the battleground.

Cyrus listened to the low rumble of the Estharian vehicle's engine as he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep. The last thing he heard was a strange voice from deep inside his head saying,

"_**Human warrior…thank you for saving me from my madness."**_

**__________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

**Author's Notes:**

**Man, oh, man. This chapter was quite possibly my most challenging to date. I wanted to make the Bahamut fight epic and I sincerely hoped that I did just that. If not, I accept full responsibility for any and all sucktitude. Just let me know either way.**

**By the way, if you're wondering how Cyrus survived the Mega Flare, I am going to reveal that next chapter.**

**Thanks again to all my wonderful reviewers: ExtremeuGamer, Ally Todd, BestInInfluence, Hiiro Mizutani, trevorami, and the Duelist of Dawn. As always, continue to kick ass, my friends!**

**I'm currently in training for my showdown with the rat bastard who tried to kill me and my delivery man Nero. And I got a special surprise for that fat piece of shit when I do confront him...something sharp and painful. That motherfucker won't know what hit him!**

**Reviews are fuel, and the Exile is an ass-kicking machine. If you want me to continue kicking ass, I'm gonna need my fuel!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	33. Chapter 33

"_**How did you do it?" **_the proud, authoritative voice of Bahamut echoed inside the mind of his newest summoner.

"_Do what?" _Cyrus mentally replied as he stood on the bow of the Valeria as it headed south for the ruined continent of Centra. It had been four days since the battle in Esthar City, and thanks to the Estharians' medical technology, Cyrus felt as good as new. He even acquired a new outfit consisting of a hazel green overcoat matching his bandana, a black long-sleeved shirt and gray cargo pants. His tactical vest was gone; instead, his new coat consisted of a dozen or so pockets for his chemicals, vials, and compounds.

"_**Do not play dumb, human. I attacked you with a close-ranged Mega Flare and you were not annihilated. I want to know how you managed to survive."**_

Cyrus smirked. _"Well, I have Ifrit to thank for that. He showed me a trick when a behemoth tried to use a Flare spell on me. You probably don't remember, but during our little battle I managed to draw and stock a couple of Flare spells off you. When you used that Mega Flare, I cast my own Flare spell right out in front of me."_

"_**I see," **_Bahamut said in realization. _**"Your Flare would not have stopped mine, but it might have been enough to reduce the damage you would have taken. Very clever…and foolish."**_

"_Well, it wasn't like I could just dodge it. It was a freaking Mega Flare, after all!"_

"_**Fair enough," **_Bahamut conceded, _**"but the fights to come will not be any easier. The Seraphim Society…a human cult with the power to manipulate magic and even enslave the Guardian Forces. It seems my fear of humanity was well-founded."**_

"_**Your fear in the mortals is understandable, considering your past experiences," **_Ifrit chimed in. _**"However, I will not let the atrocities committed by the Seraphim Society go without retribution."**_

"_We won't," _Cyrus mentally promised. _"Once we get to the Alio Ruins, we'll find out exactly what the Seraphim Society's up to and end their madness. I swear it."_

"_**Well said, human," **_Bahamut said approvingly as both he and Ifrit receded deeper into Cyrus's mind. It was at that time that Taizen shouted to his captain that they were approaching one of the Centra Continent's northern coasts. Once the Valeria was ashore and anchored, the team of SeeDs disembarked and looked towards the nearby mountain ranges and at their target.

Centra, the center of the once mighty Centran Empire, was reduced to wasteland in the wake of a Lunar Cry. Several ruins littered the landscape, but only one stood out: a large diamond-shaped tower that once was the home of the legendary Guardian Force Odin.

Known as the Warrior of Darkness, Odin was considered one of the most powerful GFs in existence. Never bending to the will of any summoner, Odin rewarded those who defeated him in combat with his assistance in times of need. Astride his six-legged horse Sleipner, Odin would rush headlong into combat and cut his enemies down with his blade Zantetsuken. However, he met his demise at the hands of Seifer Almasy in the Lunatic Pandora, and his blade was taken by the Sword Collector, Gilgamesh. Since then, the structure called Odin's Tower remained vacant, save for the various monsters that called it home.

Cyrus, knowing all this, still continued walking towards the tower, Kyra and Taizen not too far behind. Along the way, they encounter various strange monsters such as jelleyes and blitzes, all of which were easily dispatched by the SeeD trio. Cyrus, in particular, took the opportunity to get used to his new scythe, which he had named "Defiant Reaper."

Finally, after several hours of trudging through barrens, the team finally made it to the trodden path leading to Odin's Tower. Kyra knelt down and examined a series of tracks that were made by human feet.

"They're relatively fresh," Kyra stated as she got back to her feet. "I guess Odine's information was correct."

"Yes, but if that is the case, where is Balamb Garden?" Taizen asked. "We have seen no trace of it since making landfall."

Cyrus sighed as he answered, "Honestly, I don't even want to guess. Continuously chasing after Garden is starting to irritate me, but right now I just want to focus on what we can do."

"Fair enough," Kyra agreed. "Well, we're not getting anything done just standing here. Let's go check out the tower!"

Cyrus nodded as he led his teammates down the path and towards a series of steps leading up the tower. A sign with the strange words "My Blue Heaven" greeted the SeeDs as they took that first step up the stairway, only to see the stairs become illuminated in a medley of colors.

"What the heck is this?" Kyra asked apprehensively.

Cyrus shrugged as he touched the handrail, only to find that whatever the strange light was, it didn't harm him. "I guess it's just the spirits' way of welcoming us. Well, no sense in keeping them waiting, right?"

With that, the SeeDs tentatively climbed the illuminated stairs as far as they would go. Once they reached the end of the stairway, they were standing on a stone platform with a long-abandoned fountain in its center. On the far side, another series of stairways permitted access to the higher levels.

"I'm confused, Cyrus," Taizen spoke up. "Odine said the Alio Ruins were located below the tower. Why are we climbing up when we need to go down?"

Cyrus scratched his head as he explained, "Well, I didn't see a way down underground or any excavating being done at ground level, so I figured that this tower must hold some secret way into the ruins. Only question is…"

"Cyrus! We've got company!" Kyra shouted as all three SeeDs turned to face their newest opposition.

The monster was only about two feet tall and wore a hooded cloak made of burlap. Its skin was green and its eyes were pupil-less yellow ovals. The creature's amphibian-like tail protruded out the back of its outfit, and it carried an eerily-glowing lantern and a chef's knife. Despite this monster's innocent-enough façade, it was notorious for being a ruthless and vicious creature. They were nicknamed "death dealers," but they were better known as…

"Son of a bitch," Cyrus swore. "A tonberry!"

All three SeeDs drew their weapons, readying themselves for a brutal fight. However, to the surprise of the three humans, the tonberry tucked its knife in its sleeve and held its hand up, almost as if it was trying to prevent a battle.

Cyrus and his friends didn't relax one bit until they saw the tonberry waddle towards the fountain, grab a vial of some pungent liquid, and poured it in. The fluid coated the bottom of the stone fountain as the tonberry raised its lantern and waved it back and forth. Then, in rhythm with the lantern's motions, the fluid started to pulse as it increased in volume. Seconds later, the fluid had reached such a limit that it actually came out of the spout. To the surprise of the SeeDs, the fountain then shook as it slid to the right, revealing a pit and a makeshift stairway down. The tonberry lowered its lantern and nodded at the SeeDs as it shuffled its feet and headed down the newly revealed stairway.

"Um, what the heck was that?" Cyrus said as he scratched his head in confusion.

Kyra, just as confused, replied, "Beats me. I thought that tonberries were supposed to be vicious, patient killers, able to take an enormous amount of punishment and kill with a single stab. What's with that one?"

"Whatever its intentions, it seems to want us to follow it," Taizen commented. "And it seems to be leading us down. What's your order, captain?"

Cyrus thought about it for several seconds before answering. "Well, the tonberry's inviting us to follow it. It'd be rude to refuse. Just keep your hands on your weapons…just in case."

Both Kyra and Taizen nodded in acknowledgment as they followed their captain down the makeshift stairwell uncovered by the tonberry. There were several tonberry lanterns hanging to light the path, so the SeeDs had no trouble keeping on the narrow steps. Once the reached the bottom of the staircase, they found themselves in a tunnel again illuminated by a line of lanterns. At the bottom, Cyrus and his team were once again greeted by the same tonberry as before…or at least, they assumed it was the same tonberry since they all look alike.

The tonberry nodded as it motioned for the humans to follow it down the tunnel. Not knowing how else to react, Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen followed the short green monster further down the damp earthen tunnel. After several minutes of following the tonberry at its slow and methodical pace, the SeeDs finally reached their destination: a large, open cavern.

A cavern that just so happened to be the home of a hundred or so tonberries.

Upon seeing the humans, every single last tonberry in the cavern reached into their sleeves and pulled out their chef's knives. However, before any of them could attack, the SeeDs' guide tonberry raised its hand and made some guttural noises, apparently telling them to stand down. Begrudgingly, the tonberries stood down and allowed the guide and the humans to pass by.

"Cyrus, this isn't good," Kyra whispered to the scythe wielder as they walked past the glaring tonberries. "If these tonberries decide to stop playing nice…"

Cyrus nodded as he whispered back, "…Then we're all dead. Just don't do anything to provoke them. Our little guide brought us down here for a reason, and I don't think it was be dinner."

Kyra nodded back as the guide tonberry continued leading the SeeDs past the throngs of tonberries through the cavern. Eventually, the four of them made their way to the back of the cave, where they were greeted by an enormous tonberry sitting on a throne of bones and rocks. It rose up out of its seat and towered above the SeeDs as the humans tensed up.

"Humans," the large tonberry surprisingly spoke in the human tongue. "We have no intentions of fighting you. I am the Tonberry King, and I have a request to make of you."

After getting over the initial shock of hearing a tonberry speak, Cyrus finally answered back, "First off, a Tonberry King? I've never heard of such a thing. I just thought the Tonberry King was a myth and nothing more than a Triple Triad card."

"I am very real, as you can plainly see," the Tonberry King said in a pompous tone. "But I am no normal tonberry. I am what you humans call a Guardian Force."

That statement gathered several looks from the humans. "A GF? No kidding…well, I guess it takes all sorts," Kyra said with a shrug.

"Well, all right then," Cyrus relented before adding, "but now the real question: what is it you want? And why us?"

The Tonberry King adjusted its hovering crown as it explained, "We tonberries have lived beneath this tower for centuries, and we have uncovered the secret ruins that exist underground. For years we have lived peacefully, only rising to arms when humans trespassed on our home. Seven years ago, six humans climbed the tower and defeated its guardian. On the way back down, they came across a hunting party of ours and were drawn into battle. Upon hearing my fellow tonberries' death cries, I faced off against the intruders myself…and I lost. As per the precedent set by the Guardian Forces before me, I joined them in their quest and lent them my strength.

"Once their journey was completed, I was allowed to return to my home and my people. For seven years, we lived peacefully; even without the protection of the tower's guardian we were left alone. However, recently strange humans wearing white robes have intruded on our homeland and have not left save for mining the crystals that form naturally there. They have no Guardian Forces of their own, yet they use magic and perform strange rituals. I can sense your power is that of the Guardian Forces, so I ask you: remove these trespassers from our home."

Despite the fact that he was surrounded by killer tonberries and being ordered by a giant tonberry wearing a makeshift crown, Cyrus couldn't help but laugh. The Tonberry King noticed this and asked, "Human, I fail to see what is so funny."

"My apologies, Your Majesty. But the thing is, that's the whole reason why we're here. Those humans in white have caused a lot of suffering in the world, both to humanity and the Guardian Forces. We don't know what their motives are, but we aim to stop them. Just tell us where to go."

The Tonberry King nodded as he said, "The tonberry who brought you before me will show you the path. The ruins will be crawling with white-robes, so be on your guard."

"Thank you, King," Taizen said with a slight bow. "But I would like to ask you a question if I may."

"Very well. Speak."

"We are also searching for a group of humans with powers like ours. They ride a flying fortress and were coming this way. Have you or any of your 'people' seen them?"

The Tonberry King shook his head as Kyra spoke up, "Well, that sucks. But now I have a question: why haven't you killed the creeps in white yourself? Tonberries are considered some of the most dangerous monsters in the world, after all."

"It's quite simple, female," the Tonberry King replied. "I wish not to risk the lives of my people against an enemy we know nothing about. If you succeed in ridding the ruins of the interlopers, then all is well. But even if you lose, I will be able to gauge the strength of the white robes and develop a strategy to defeat them. Either way, my issue will be resolved."

"Shrewd," Cyrus said with a glare as he shouldered Defiant Reaper. "Well, I guess we really don't have a choice. Little guy, lead the way."

The tonberry guide nodded as it turned around and led the SeeDs to another section of the cavern and another tunnel. Cyrus took one more glance at the Tonberry Cavern before ducking down and entering the darkness of the tunnel.

The tonberry guide illuminated the path with its lantern as the three humans followed close behind, thinking about what nightmares awaited them in the Alio Ruins.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Notes:**

**Mega-Flare minus Flare equals Barely Surviving!**

**I was really looking forward to this chapter. Returning to Odin's Tower and the tonberries made this a lot of fun to write. Hope you all enjoyed it!**

**Thanks to the Duelist of Dawn, trevorami, BestInInfluence, Hiiro Mizutani, and ExtremeuGamer for the reviews last chapter. If there was a Mt. Rushmore for story reviewers, my reviewers would be the faces on that mountainside. And I don't even know what most of you look like!**

**Well, it's time. Time for my showdown with the rat bastard trying to kill me. Wish me luck...**

**_(Cyrus Truth leaves his lair, cane in hand. Two hours of walking later, and he finds himself outside of an abandoned warehouse off the Long and Winding Road. Truth takes a deep breath as he opens the door and walks in.)_**

**_Mysterious Voice: It's been a while, Cyrus Truth. How did you find me?_**

**_Truth: I followed the stench of a fallen Exile. _**

**_Mysterious Voice: How very amusing. You still can't let that go, can you Truth?_**

**_Truth: Of course not! You violated the Code! You took the easy path instead of the one that needed to be taken! I'll never forgive you for ruining the reputation of the Exile...Kringle._**

**_(A rotund man with a white beard in a red suit emerges from the shadows, his arms crossed and his face a mixture of rage and amusement.)_**

**_Santa: The Code of the Exile...a worthless set of rules and credos that do nothing save make life harder. Why wander for the sake of Truth when you can wander for glory and recognition?_**

**_Truth: Save it, Claus. This ends now._**

**_(Santa laughs as his belly jiggles.)_**

**_Santa: Ho, Ho, Ho! For once, I agree. But killing you is beneath me. That's why I brought my workers with me!_**

**_(Truth hears the sound of a dozen running footsteps as he finds himself surrounded by eight three-foot tall elves wearing ninja gear. They each carry sawn-off naginatas as they circle around the Exile.)_**

**_Truth: Ninja elves? You're going to attack me...with ninja elves? You can't be serious._**

**_Santa: Your confidence is unfounded, you naughty Exile. My elves are armed and trained in the combat arts, and all you have to defend yourself with is a driftwood cane. How can you survive?_**

**_(Truth shakes his head as he shoulders his cane)_**

**_Truth: Haven't you read my story "The Rise of the Repentant?" Even a simple cane like this can be a weapon in disguise..._**

**_(Truth's cane starts to glow as it grows and morphs into a blood-red scythe with a three-foot curving black blade. Truth smiles as he points the top of his new scythe at Santa Claus)_**

**_Truth: Meet my new weapon: Final Chapter. Still think the odds are against me, Kringle?_**

**_Santa: Grr, even that won't save you from my warriors. Elves, attack!_**

**_(Santa disappears as the elves bum-rush Cyrus Truth, who uses Final Chapter to fight back in a scene reminsicent of the fight in the park in "The Matrix Reloaded." Truth uses slashes and blows to eliminate all eight ninja elves as he searches for Santa, still high on adrenaline.)_**

**_Truth: Damn it, Claus! You can't run from me forever! I will find you and make you pay for trashing my lair, Santa-Punching me, and abandoning the Code of the Exile! Mark my words: I won't let you get away with tormenting me!_**

**_(Cyrus Truth takes a deep breath as he walks past the carnage and out of the warehouse. He finally makes it back to his lair and his laptop.)_**

**If there's one thing I hate, it's a cowardly holiday icon.**

**Show your support for my war against Santa Claus...in the form of a story review!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	34. Chapter 34

After twenty minutes of trudging through the dark cavern following the light of a tonberry lantern, the SeeD team and their green-skinned guide finally reached their destination. The tonberry stepped aside and motioned for the humans to move forward. Cyrus, his hand still on Defiant Reaper, was first to walk past the tonberry and get a good look at the Alio Ruins.

The ruins were definitely Centran in design, as broken stone columns and strange metallic constructs littered the large cavern that encompassed the ancient site. Amongst the rubble, hundreds of yellow crystals glowed brightly, giving the subterranean ruins enough light for the SeeDs to see everything. And to Cyrus's immediate disgust, the ruins were quite literally crawling with Seraphim cultists, who were busy either harvesting the crystals or performing some strange rituals.

"Holy hell," Kyra whispered as she and Taizen joined their captain in getting a better look. "That's a lot of cultists. Even I don't like our odds."

Taizen nodded in agreement. "There are a substantial number of enemies, and this cavern is too tight for us to summon our most powerful GFs. Ridding the ruins of the Seraphim Society is going to be a major challenge."

"True, but before we do any exterminating, I still want answers. We've come all this way, and we still don't know anything. The Seraphim Society's gathering a lot of power, but why? What is it they're after?"

"So how do you propose we figure that out? Just go up and ask them?" Kyra asked, half-mockingly.

"Something like that," Cyrus replied with a smirk. "See those three cultists?"

Kyra and Taizen looked where their captain was pointing. Sure enough, there were three Seraphim cultists praying near a large Alio Crystal. They were separate from the other crowds, near enough that the SeeDs could sneak up on them yet far enough away that no one would notice them missing.

"You know the old saying 'If you can't beat them, join them?'" Cyrus inquired. "Well, Rule Number 8 says 'If you can't beat them, join them until you learn how to beat them.' Or something like that."

"Not a bad idea, hotshot, except for one small problem," Kyra stated. "Taizen. He's too big for any of those robes. Unless you want him looking like a bear wearing a marshmallow."

Cyrus reluctantly nodded. "I see your point. All right, then. Taizen, do you mind hanging back with our tonberry friend here?"

"No, I don't," Taizen simply replied. "I will watch your backs from up here. If things get out of hand, I'll be ready."

"Thanks, Tai," Cyrus said gratefully as he then turned to the tonberry guide. "I don't know if you can understand what I'm saying, but would you mind staying here until we get back? Finding our own way out of the caverns would take forever without a guide."

The tonberry tilted its head quizzically before nodding. Cyrus nodded back as he and Kyra quietly climbed down into the Alio Ruins and used the ruins and crystals as cover. Once they were close enough to the trio of cultists they had spotted earlier, Kyra quickly and stealthily killed all three Seraphim members with her bare hands and GF-enhanced strength, snapping their necks with lightning speed. Careful not to alert any other cultists, Cyrus and Kyra hid the bodies as they donned the white robes.

Kyra, for the most part, was able to hide both her Soul Crushers and Phoenix Tears within her robe. Cyrus, however, had a much more difficult time finding a way to hide his scythe.

"Maybe you'd feel better waiting with Taizen?" Kyra quietly teased.

Cyrus, not wanting to let Kyra do espionage by herself and hold that over his head, reached into his purloined robe and grabbed a vial. Then, Cyrus opened the vial and poured its contents onto Defiant Reaper. Seconds later, the scythe faded out of view as Cyrus placed the newly-hidden weapon on his back.

"Whoa," Kyra muttered, legitimately surprised and impressed. "What the hell was that stuff?"

"Blood of the Fallen Hero," Cyrus explained as he stood up. "My own creation. Pour it on anything inorganic and it vanishes until it gets hit with magical energy."

"You have a chemical for every occasion, don't you?" Kyra replied with a wicked grin.

"Just about. Shall we then? After all, I'd hate to miss today's sermon."

Kyra nodded as both SeeDs pulled their hoods up and walked towards the main excavation site, where Seraphim cultists were busy collecting Alio Crystals and interpreting the Centran runes scattered across the cavern. Cyrus at first thought that the cultists' ability to sense magical energy would expose them, but the residual magic from the crystals seemed to mask them from the lowly acolytes. Still, the two undercover SeeDs decided to avoid anyone that looked like a Seraphim high priest…just to be safe.

After several minutes of wandering, Cyrus and Kyra were no closer to finding out anything useful. Safe for the incomprehensible chanting from some of the acolytes, the only things the pair was able to pick up on was nothing they hadn't heard from the Seraphim Society in the past. Just as Cyrus was about to lose his patience and start brawling, a Seraphim high priest off in the distance raised a bell and caught the attention of the rest of the Society.

"Brothers and sisters, the prophet has returned. Come, let us go to him and hear the words of the Great Hyne."

All the Seraphim cultists dropped whatever they were doing and headed for a large derelict structure in the center of the ruins. Cyrus and Kyra followed suit as they joined the throngs of white-robed zealots as they all walked into the structure to listen to their "prophet."

The structure itself was made of the same rusted metal and stone that the rest of the Alio Ruins was littered with, but it was circular like a coliseum with a dome on the top. Unlike the ruins themselves, it seems as if this structure had been refurbished by the Seraphim cultists, as it was covered with freshly-painted, intricate runes and symbols similar to those on the Seraphim Society's robes. Cyrus couldn't help but feel a sense of dread as he and Kyra followed the masses inside.

After walking down a short, dark hallway, they finally reached their destination. Despite the large Alio Crystals providing the main atrium of the coliseum with light, the large circular room was still quite dark…that is, save for the center platform. Standing there was a single Seraphim zealot, illuminated by a single pillar of light coming from somewhere near the top of the structure. The lone cultist looked all around him at his flock as he lowered his hood and revealed a heavily-scarred face.

"My brethren," the prophet, Ezerath announced. "The new golden age is close at hand. Despite the interference from the heretics, all continues to move forward. Soon, our holy work will be completed, and the world will receive a blessing from the goddess."

Ezerath paused for a second before continuing. "But it seems that there are those amongst us who seek the knowledge of the Great Hyne not to serve her, but to end her. So reveal yourself…heir of Vascaroon!"

With that, Ezerath pointed directly at Cyrus and Kyra as the cultists around them backed off and trapped them within a circle of humanity. Confused and angry, Cyrus relented as both he and Kyra lowered their hoods and exposed themselves to the congregation.

Ezerath, not looking the least bit surprised, addressed the two SeeDs standing before him. "You mock our order by wearing our blessed robes, reaper. How were you able to locate this holy site?"

"Easy," Cyrus retorted. "I just asked your old boss. You remember him, don't you? Short guy, wears an umbrella for a collar, speaks in a strange accent…any of this ringing a bell?"

"Odine? So, he told you about how I uncovered the Alio Ruins and reclaimed the wisdom of the Great Hyne. And yet your curiosity was not sated? Could it be that you finally hear the call of the goddess and are ready to submit yourselves to her rule?"

"Not a chance," Kyra shot back. "We'd just like to know what it is you're up to before we kill you all."

"Foolish girl," Ezerath replied in a somewhat disgusted tone. "I have already told you and the reaper what the Seraphim Society was formed for: to learn and obey the will of the goddess Hyne. We hear her words…her desires through the gifts she left behind. The crystals cry out to the Seraphim, begging us to gather the magic in the world and combine it into one final spell."

"Why? What spell are you trying to cast?" Cyrus simply asked as he slowly reached for his hidden weapon.

Ezerath's face never changed as he answered, "The goddess desires one thing above anything else…to reunite the magical energies and live once again."

All the members of the Seraphim Society bowed their heads in reverence. Meanwhile, Cyrus, having waited so long for an answer, a reason behind the Seraphim Society's actions, looked at Ezerath with a mixture of confusion and anger. "You…want to resurrect Hyne? You're insane! How can you revive a god?"

"You know the stories," Ezerath rebuked the scythe wielder. "You are aware that the power of Hyne was split in half after humanity betrayed their creator. One half became the power of the sorceresses, and it was fought for and feared for centuries. But even a goddess cannot survive with only half her body and spirit…"

Ezerath walked down off his pedestal and moved towards the SeeDs. "So in her last moments, the Great Hyne scattered her magical energy across the world. However, something happened that Hyne did not anticipate: the magic coalesced into different elements and began to gain sentience. Thus, the Guardian Forces were born."

"No way…the Guardian Forces are Hyne's other half? That can't be right!" Kyra insisted.

"I speak the truth," Ezerath retorted as he finally walked past the crowds and faced the SeeDs at eye level. "Until that fool Odine developed Guardian Force junctioning, the ungrateful children of Hyne were left alone, even by the ancient Centra Empire whose knowledge of magic was unmatched. But all that is irrelevant."

Ezerath motioned to the surrounding cultists, who responded by closing in on Cyrus and Kyra. "You have been a menace to our society…a thorn in the side of the goddess's desire. For those transgressions, you will be stripped of your power and sacrificed for the new era. Brethren…draw the Guardians from these heretics."

As every one of the Seraphim cultists began the draw ritual, Cyrus and Kyra quickly rid themselves of their restrictive robes and grabbed their weapons. Before they could do anything else, the sound of smashing rock and metal thundered from above as every human inside the coliseum looked up and saw three large bipeds crashing down.

"Taizen! Great timing!" Cyrus shouted as his musclebound teammate landed first next to Cyrus and Kyra. He was soon joined by Sacred and Minotaur, both carrying their battle maces.

"Attack…show no mercy," Taizen softly ordered.

"YOU GOT IT, BOSS!" Sacred bellowed as he and his brother started swinging away at the surrounding cultists. Cyrus and Kyra wasted no time in summoning Ifrit and Siren, who were also ordered to join the battle.

"Always ready to serenade my audience," Siren said seductively as she played her Silent Voice on a group of cultists, rendering them mute. Ifrit, not nearly as subtle, started swinging his massive fists at any unfortunate Seraphim member that dared cross his path of destruction.

While their GFs continued the onslaught, the SeeDs faced off against the cultists themselves, using their weapons and strength to fend off the magic-using zealots. The battle lasted several minutes and left the SeeDs with several injuries from the Seraphim's magical attacks…but the wounds inflicted on the mercenaries came at a steep cost as half of the cultists in the Alio Ruins either laid on the ground dead or were suffering from terrible injuries of their own.

Cyrus had finished off a pair of Seraphim members with Defiant Reaper as he searched for Ezerath. He didn't see the Seraphim prophet, but he did hear his voice echo throughout the coliseum.

"_**It seems as if you refuse to submit to fate, reaper. It is a shame that Vascaroon's heir would follow down the same path as his ancestor all those years ago."**_

"Stop talking in riddles, you jackass!" Cyrus shouted, fully enraged. "Come out of hiding so I can kill you!"

"_**I am afraid I cannot," **_Ezerath said in the same distant tone. _**"I cannot allow myself to be slain until Hyne rises again. Fortunately, our time in hiding under the guiding light of Alio is over. One more ritual, and we will have enough magic to resurrect the goddess. Farewell, reaper…"**_

"No! Don't you run away from me, Ezerath!" Cyrus ranted as he ran into a crowd of retreating cultists, slashing through the ones lagging behind alongside Kyra and Taizen. However, the ground started to rumble and allow the remaining members of the Seraphim Society to escape, leaving the SeeDs and their GFs alone in the center of an earthquake.

"What the hell's going on?" Kyra shouted as the Garden fighters, human and GF, gathered around the center pedestal as the ground split apart in six different places. Dark green vines sprouted from the newly-formed cracks as they bloomed into sinister-looking plants with large, red maws lined with razor-sharp teeth.

"This is not good," Taizen simply said as he dropped into his ready-stance. "One Malboro is bad enough, but six?"

Kyra said nothing, but settled into her battle stance as the GFs followed suit. Cyrus, however, was beside himself in rage, not even caring that he was about to fight a pack of insidious Malboros.

"_That's it…I've had it with this insanity. No matter what I have to go through, I'm ending Ezerath's madness, and I'll make the Seraphim Society pay!"_

With that, the scythe wielder focused his energy into a Firaga spell and stared down one of the Malboros, who was readying itself for its infamous Bad Breath attack.

Cyrus, blinded by rancor and frustration, let loose the spell and commenced with the battle…

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Wow. I've really been slacking off this week. I really do apologize for my lack of recent updates and offer this chapter as a gift to all my readers, especially my loyal reviewers the Duelist of Dawn, Hiiro Mizutani, ExtremeuGamer, trevorami, and BestInInfluence. Again, I apologize for allowing life to get in the way of my uploads, and hope that this chapter will garner me forgiveness.**

**Next chapter: Malboro salad and another cameo from a old character.**

**The first rule of reading the Exile's stories is that you must review the Exile's stories.**

**The second rule of reading the Exile's stories is that you must review the Exile's stories.**

**Hmm, I suddenly have the urge to watch "Fight Club" again...**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	35. Chapter 35

The first casualty in the Alio coliseum was the Malboro unfortunate enough to be struck by Cyrus's powerful Firaga spell, as the mini-inferno surrounded the plant monster and rendered it into ashes. The other five Malboros, realizing that their prey would not be so easy to kill and devour, all reeled back and unleashed clouds of noxious gases in an attack nicknamed "Bad Breath."

"Crap!" Cyrus swore as he and his team looked for a way to escape the malady-ridden mist. However, the five Malboros blocked all the exits as they continued breathing out the Bad Breath. Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen braced themselves for every magical status ailment known to humanity when the temperature in the room started to climb. Cyrus turned to see Ifrit, eyes closed in what almost looked like a meditative stance. Seconds later, a ring of searing flames circled the SeeDs and their GFs, burning the Bad Breath clouds and protecting the warriors.

"Wow," Cyrus muttered to his fiery partner. "Thanks, Ifrit."

"No need for gratitude, Cyrus. But I am at my limit. I must return to your mind and rest."

"You've done enough. Leave the rest to us. This shouldn't take too long."

Ifrit nodded as the ring of fire died down and he retreated back to the confines of Cyrus's mind. The Malboros, having expended their most lethal attack, were unable to retaliate with another Bad Breath, giving the SeeDs the opportunity they needed.

"Go," Cyrus simply said as the three humans and GFs leapt at the remaining Malboros, weapons branished. Taizen was first to strike, as he quickly sliced past the Malboro's writhing tentacles and brought his blade down hard across the wicked plant's face, cleaving it in two. His GFs, for their part, utilized their mastery of the earth to split the ground at the feet of their opponent, basically uprooting the Malboro and leaving it unable to defend itself. A pair of swift and powerful mace strikes from Sacred and Minotaur, and their opponent was reduced to a mangled mess of vines and plant matter.

Kyra, locked in a battle with another Malboro, used quick slashes and strikes to fend off the Malboro's powerful roots. Once the roots were cut down enough, Kyra went for the kill with a series of brutal kicks and punches, turning the Malboro's face into mush and ending the monstrosity's life before it could even register any pain. After dispatching with her opponent, Kyra joined Siren and managed to get the attention of a second Malboro. As she kept the plant monster's focus squarely on her, Siren focused her energy and unleashed a powerful scream that shook the walls and tore the Malboro apart from the inside out. Siren finished her vocal barrage as both she and her summoner admired their handiwork; that being, the completely eviscerated bodies of two Malboros.

One final Malboro remained, and it had the unfortunate luck of having to fight off a still enraged Cyrus. This Malboro reeled back and unleashed a powerful acid attack right towards Cyrus, who didn't even try to dodge. Instead, the scythe wielder ran right through the attack and began a vicious and merciless assault of strikes, slashes, and hacks with Defiant Reaper. The Malboro was long dead when Cyrus finally finished his attack, leaving the plant monster little more than a small pile of mulch. Finally noticing the acid covering him, he cast a spare Esuna spell on himself to rid himself of the caustic chemical.

The Brothers and Siren retreated back to their respective summoners' minds as Kyra and Taizen walked over to rejoin their captain. Noticing their friend's state of mind, they gave him just enough room to regain his senses and calm down.

"Cyrus, are you all right?" Taizen finally asked after a minute of awkward silence.

"I'm not injured, if that's what you're asking," Cyrus replied with a slight growl. "But I'm a long way from all right. Any idea where those cowards ran off to?"

Kyra shook her head. "We were too focused on the Malboros to see where they were going, and I doubt they'll be stupid enough to leave us a trail. I'm sorry, Cyrus. I should have been more aware."

Cyrus walked over to his female teammate and placed his hands on her shoulders. "It's not your fault, Kyra. In any event, we now know what the Society's goal is: the resurrection of Hyne."

"How is such a thing possible?" Taizen asked, legitimately confused.

"Frankly, I have my doubts that it is possible. Truthfully, it doesn't matter whether the Seraphim Society has the ability to bring Hyne back to life. All that matters is finding them and putting a stop to their madness."

"So, what's our next move?" Kyra inquired with anticipation.

"Good question," Cyrus admitted. "The Alio Ruins were our best lead, and from what Ezerath said, the Seraphim no longer need any more Alio Crystals. If they need magical power to revive Hyne, then they're going to need a large enough source to draw it from. And they're probably going to need the sorceresses as well."

"What makes you say that?"

"Easy, Taizen. Ezerath said it himself: even a goddess can't live with just one half of her body and spirit. Up to this point, the Seraphim Society's been focusing on the Guardian Forces and the residual magic from their respective domains. In order for them to do that, they've needed the Alio Crystals…and now Ezerath says they have no further use of them. I'd wager a thousand Gil that their next targets are the sorceresses…to gather the 'other half' of Hyne's power."

"Makes sense," Kyra acknowledged, "but there's a problem with your theory. The only sorceress we know of is Counselor Heartilly, and she's as safe as anyone could be in Garden…wherever that is. Unless there are other sorceresses in the world, the Seraphim Society's well and truly screwed."

Cyrus shook his head as he explained, "That's not entirely true. We do know one other sorceress…albeit a former sorceress."

"Edea Kramer," Taizen said in realization.

"Exactly. Since we don't know where Balamb Garden is, Sorceress Edea might be the Seraphim Society's next target. If nothing else, we might be able to pick up some information on Garden's whereabouts. After all, the Commander and the rest of Destiny's Six see Edea as a mother figure. Maybe they stopped by while they were in Centra."

"It's worth a shot," Kyra replied. "But now the next question: how in the hell do we get out of here?"

As if to answer Kyra's question, the sound of shuffling footsteps echoed throughout the darkened coliseum as the familiar sight of a tonberry lantern crept closer to the SeeDs. Sure enough, their guide from earlier approached the three humans as it surveyed the fallen bodies of both Seraphim cultists and Malboros.

"Hey, little guy!" Kyra exclaimed. "You missed the fight! Way to be late!"

"Just ignore her," Cyrus explained to the tonberry. "Well, we did what your king asked us to do. Think you can help us back to the surface?"

The tonberry nodded as it turned around and motioned for the SeeDs to follow it. Without any hesitation, the humans followed their small guide out of the coliseum and through the ruins towards what looked like a freshly-dug tunnel. The tonberry pointed at the tunnel as Cyrus figured out what it was trying to tell them.

"That's the way back up?" Cyrus asked as the tonberry nodded in reply. "All right then. Thanks for your help. Tell your king we said goodbye…and that his thanks are greatly appreciated."

The tonberry cocked its head quizzically as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen simply walked past him and into the tunnel. As they navigated the dark man-made cavern, Cyrus had only one thought on his mind:

"_I'm coming for you, Ezerath…"_

* * *

Meanwhile, in the arid wasteland of the Kashkabald Desert, a large group of humans were gathering at one of the desert's only oases. Half of them wore the white robes of the Seraphim Society, while the other half wore secondhand Galbadian military uniforms common to soldiers in the Caladbolg Militia. Both groups stared at one another with mutual distrust as the leader of the Caladbolg Militia stepped forward and addressed the Seraphim cultists.

"Where is Ezerath?" Umar Zekorev demanded. "I demand to know why he insisted on having us meet all the way out here!"

"Quit your belly-aching, Zekorev," the familiar, arrogant voice of Rizo Malachi demanded as the Seraphim cultists stepped aside to let the black-cloaked swordsman pass. Rizo's skin was now as pale as a Seraphim white robe and his eyes glowed even brighter than before as he flashed a cocky smile at the Caladbolg colonel.

"Malachi," Zekorev snarled, "the day I take orders from a murderer like you is the day I turn into a cactuar."

"Don't tempt me, Umar," Rizo taunted. "After all, I haven't killed anyone in a while, and my Devourers have gotten a little tired of chimera blood. I bring orders from Ezerath. You and your men are to go to the Cape of Good Hope. There's something there that the Society wants you to collect."

"The Cape of Good Hope?!" Zekorev exclaimed in rage. "Does Ezerath think he can send us anywhere and we will just fall in line? What about the liberation of Galbadia from the pacifists? We are soldiers, not errand boys!"

"Shut you mouth before you say something you'll regret," Rizo warned. "I don't know whether you realize this or not, but Caladbolg is dying. You and your pitiful excuse for an army couldn't lay siege to a chocobo forest, much less the capital of one of the world's superpowers. Your only chance to get what you want is to fall in line with the Seraphim Society. So shut up and do what you're told like a good soldier!"

Zekorev was close enough to his breaking point that he was about to strike at Rizo. He stopped himself just before losing control, knowing full well what the former SeeD and Seraphim Society executioner was capable of. Instead, he spat at the ground near Rizo's feet and said:

"Mark my words, kid. People like you and Ezerath always get what's coming to you. Sooner or later, you'll meet your end…and I hope it's the slow and painful type."

"Why are you still here?" Rizo asked, completely ignoring Zekorev's threat as he turned away from the revolutionary. As Rizo and the Seraphim cultists walked away over one of the desert's dunes, Zekorev swore under his breath as he turned to his soldiers.

"Back to the ships. We sail for the Cape of Good Hope as soon as we are able."

His soldiers, weary and disillusioned, all saluted sloppily as Caladbolg marched in the opposite direction that the Seraphim Society took. Zekorev, the last to leave the oasis, looked back over his shoulder and shook his head, marveling at how far he had fallen in such a short time…

"Forget it," Zekorev told himself. "Just…forget about it. You have a job to do, soldier…even if you don't know the reason why."

With that, Zekorev picked up his Saber from the ground, sheathed it, and followed his army back to their waiting vessels. Despite what Rizo said before, Zekorev had a feeling that the Seraphim Society did not have his and his army's goals in mind. Still, he chose to hang onto that last string of hope as he started walking, his combat boots digging deep into the sands of Kashkabald.

* * *

"_Bahamut, I need to talk to you," _Cyrus mentally said to the Dragon King as he sat on the bow of the Valeria.

After hours of walking through the tunnels under Odin's Tower and through the barren wastelands of Centra, the SeeDs finally made it back to their vessel. After dealing with the pack of fastitocalons that were surrounding the boat, the trio immediately took the Valeria back out to sea and set a course for Edea's house, located on the southernmost peninsula of one of Centra's fragmented continents. While Taizen piloted the boat and Kyra practiced her martial arts, Cyrus decided to have a conversation with his newest GF.

"_**What do you want, human?" **_Bahamut replied, sounding genuinely annoyed.

"_What Ezerath said about the Guardian Forces being Hyne's other half…is that true?" _Cyrus asked.

Bahamut mentally sighed as he answered, _**"I cannot say. We Guardian Forces have no memories of our creation, just that we at one time arose from nothingness and that we have lived for millennia. Tell me, human: why does it matter?"**_

"_It doesn't. Just sating my curiosity, that's all. It's just that Garden's been borrowing the power of the GFs for years and no one has ever wondered how they came to being. With what Ezerath just said, I can't help but wonder."_

"_**Human…Cyrus, I sense your mind is burdened with anger and rage. It weighs on your spirit like an anvil. Tell me, what will you do with all this hatred?"**_

That question caught Cyrus off-guard. _"Do with it? What can I do with it?"_

"_**Exactly," **_Bahamut replied. _**"There is no use for things like hatred and fear. All these emotions do is weaken the spirit and make even the mightiest warrior fall like a lowly peasant. Your spirit is strong…as strong as any human spirit that I have ever met, let alone junctioned to. Let go of your anger and frustration and hold onto your strength. If you do not, then I promise you this: you will die without having accomplished what you set out to do."**_

For the first time in a long time, Cyrus actually smiled and meant it. _"Point taken, Bahamut. Don't worry, I'll be ready. I just hope you will be too."_

"_**There is no need to worry about me," **_Bahamut assured his summoner. _**"My strength is yours to use to reign down punishment on the Seraphim. Keep your mind at ease and never stop moving forward."**_

Cyrus nodded as Bahamut retreated into his mind. The scythe-wielding SeeD stood up as he watched the sun set in the west. He took a deep breath as he thought about what Bahamut had told him as well as something his father told him many years ago.

"Rule Number 1…" Cyrus muttered as the sun sank below the horizon.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Oh, no! Both the gang and Caladbolg are heading for a collision course! What's going to happen?**

**I'll tell you exactly what's going to happen: AWESOME'S GOING TO HAPPEN!**

**Anyway, stay tuned for Chapter 36.**

**Thanks to the my newest reviewer Onar (welcome to the crazy train, my friend), and my not-so-new reviewers ExtremeuGamer, Ally Todd, The Duelist of Dawn, Hiiro Mizutani, and trevorami. I had no idea this story would be as successful as it has been, and it's all thanks to you guys. I'm anxious to see if we can get to 200...let's find out!**

**Also, stay tuned for the first of my new series: "Tales of the Exile." They're holiday specials, so expect the first one before Thanksgiving. And if you're curious as to what the Tales will be...well, think my end-of-chapter notes in story form, plus more epic.**

**Until then, all my readers have a job to do: review! Don't make me fire you guys for slacking off!**

**Just kidding...kind of. But please do review!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	36. Chapter 36

The seas surrounding from the Cape of Good Hope were choppy, but the Valeria was still able to power through the waves on its way to its destination: a stone house on the westernmost tip of the Centran peninsula. Seven years ago, the house was a long-abandoned ruin in the wake of Sorceress Ultimecia's possession of Edea Kramer. However, the Garden Alliance at the request of Commander Leonhart provided the funding and labor to repair Edea's House and reopen the orphanage. Since then, Edea and her husband Cid lived a quiet life in their home near the edge of the world, looking after children who lost their parents during and in the wake of the Second Sorceress War.

Cyrus, despite the stoic look on his face as he stood on the Valeria's bow, couldn't help but feel anxious. The last time he saw Edea's face was during her vindictive speech in Deling City seven years ago…back when she was the twisted, violent sorceress taking over his country. Though he knew full well that that was really Ultimecia in the guise of Edea, he still couldn't shake the sadistic look that the sorceress had on her face as she rose to power.

"Cyrus, there's a dock on the southern coast of the peninsula," Taizen declared, breaking Cyrus's thoughts. "With your permission…"

"That'll do, Tai," Cyrus interrupted as his coat flapped in the wind. "Go ahead and dock there."

"Understood," Taizen acknowledged as he navigated the vessel around the Cape of Good Hope. As they circled around the edge of the cape and the lighthouse located there, Cyrus took a deep breath and readied himself for his encounter with Edea.

It was at that moment that he felt a familiar pair of arms wrap themselves around his chest in an embrace. Cyrus chuckled as he turned to face Kyra.

"This is strange," Cyrus commented as Kyra broke off the embrace. "I figured the only time you'd wrap your arms around me would be to put me in a chokehold."

Kyra laughed. "Not this time. You've been a little distant since leaving Odin's Tower. Figured you could use a hug."

"You really are something, Kyra," Cyrus replied. "Tender and caring one minute, and bloodthirsty the next. To be honest, I don't know which side of you I like more."

"Did…you just say you liked me?" Kyra asked.

"Um, well…you see…" Cyrus started to stammer as Kyra interrupted him with a smile.

"Relax hotshot. Just teasing you…a little. Don't worry; I'm not planning on going anywhere, so you're not going to have to choose. On another note, what's with you? You seem…distracted by something."

"You've noticed, huh?" Cyrus said lowly. "Remember back in Deling City when I told you I was reliving an old nightmare?"

Kyra nodded as Cyrus continued, "I was in the crowd when Edea gave her speech and took control of Galbadia. Truth be told, she scared me half to death with her words…but more than that, it was the way her gaze would pierce right through you. I know what was really going on, but that still doesn't help shake these feelings I have."

"Cyrus…" Kyra started to say as the Valeria pulled into the tiny dock. Taizen killed the vessel's engine and walked up to meet his teammates on the bow.

Cyrus shook his head, clearing out some of the mental cobwebs as he verified that Defiant Reaper was still firmly sheathed. He then turned to Kyra as Taizen lowered the gangplank.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Let's go see Edea."

Kyra nodded as she followed Cyrus off the Valeria with Taizen covering the team's rear. The three SeeDs walked up the cobblestone path towards the rebuilt orphanage as the sharp seaside winds continued to blow.

Several minutes of walking later, and the SeeDs found themselves standing in a field of white flowers. Growing anything in Centra was hard enough, but to be able to plant a field of flowers in the unforgiving terrain was something akin to a miracle.

"Pretty, aren't they?" a young voice asked, startling the SeeDs. All three turned towards the source of the voice: a six-year old girl with short blonde hair wearing a white wool dress. The girl, not intimidated at all by the imposing, well-armed strangers smiled as she repeated herself.

"Well, aren't they pretty?"

Kyra was the first to respond. "Yes, they are. What's your name?"

"Naomi," the little girl answered. "Whatcha doing here, lady?"

Kyra smiled as she replied, "Well, sweetie, we're looking for someone. Do you know a Mrs. Kramer?"

"Yup!" Naomi responded with a nod. "Matron's up at the house. Follow me!"

Naomi started to run through the flowers as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen followed her closely. A minute later, the little girl led the SeeDs to the house's front door, where she stood quickly knocking.

"Coming!" a soft, caring voice said as the door opened, revealing a older woman with black, shoulder-length hair wearing a dark grey dress. "There you are, Naomi. I told you not to go outside…there's a storm coming."

"Aw…but I wanted to play in the flowers," Naomi argued. She then smiled as she continued, "Oh yeah! These people wanted to see you, Matron!"

"I see," the lady said as she shooed Naomi inside. She then closed the door as she addressed the strangers in front of her. "I am Edea. And you must be SeeDs."

"Yes, we are," Cyrus said as he looked Edea in the eyes. To his surprise, this Edea looked nothing like the sorceress he saw seven years ago. The Edea from seven years ago looked exotic and dangerous, whereas this Edea looked elegant yet unassuming. Still, Cyrus couldn't shake his uneasiness as he continued talking.

"We're currently on the trail of a cult called the Seraphim Society, and…"

"…you're looking for Squall and Balamb Garden," Edea finished.

"Do you know where they are?" Kyra asked impatiently.

Edea nodded. "They were here a couple of days ago. I spoke to Squall briefly, but as you can guess he was less than forthcoming. He did say he was on an important mission and that he wanted to stop by and make sure I was all right. Then, without a word, he just left and Garden headed south."

"South?" Taizen asked. "That doesn't make any sense. There's nothing to the south of Centra. Why would he head down in that direction?"

Cyrus lowered his head as he muttered, "Battleship Island."

"So, you know then," Edea replied.

"Know what? Cyrus, what are you talking about?" Kyra implored.

Cyrus took a deep breath as he turned to face his teammates. "It was during the First Sorceress War. Esthar, thanks to Doctor Odine, had researched and developed the Guardian Force junction system and para-magic. This new development proved to be a serious threat to Galbadia, who alone had the military might to even stand up to Esthar. My father once told me that, in response, President Deling send his top researchers on an expedition to study the Guardian Forces and develop their own method of junctioning.

"To do that, Galbadian engineers developed the Deep Sea Research Facility, a.k.a. Battleship Island. It was a massive vessel that acted as a mobile laboratory, and Galbadia's best researchers and scientists scoured the globe, collecting samples to study and unlock the secrets of magic."

"_**And I was one of those 'samples…'"**_ Bahamut bitterly muttered inside Cyrus's mind.

Cyrus nodded as he continued, "Towards the end of the First Sorceress War, the researchers called back to Galbadia claiming they found a source of magic larger than any they had ever encountered. It was in a place 'so far out of the way that no human would ever think of looking,' or so they claimed. Then, not a week later, all communications with Battleship Island just ended and the facility vanished without a trace. Deling never bothered to put together a rescue effort as it became clear to Galbadia that the war was over."

"And how do you know about all this?" Taizen argued. "What you've told us…it all sounds like state secrets."

"My father was never very good at keeping his mouth shut," Cyrus explained. "Anyway, it makes sense now. Ezerath said he had one more ritual to complete, and he'd have the power to resurrect Hyne. Wouldn't it make sense that he headed for Battleship Island?"

Both Kyra and Taizen quietly nodded as Edea placed her hand on Cyrus's shoulder. "Excuse me…resurrecting Hyne?"

Cyrus turned around to face the former sorceress as he proceeded to explain everything about the Seraphim Society and their plot. Edea listened intently as Cyrus finished by saying, "We don't know if such a thing is possible, but…"

"It is," Edea simply stated. "If a god can die, then he or she can also be revived. But why would anyone desire such a thing? The world ruled by Hyne was oppressive and bleak…why would this Seraphim Society want the world to suffer that again?"

"I can't say," Cyrus honestly replied. "But I aim to stop them. You seem to know some things about Hyne…things that might be helpful in our fight. I'd appreciate it if you could share that with us."

"Of course," Edea said with a polite nod. "Come inside. I'll tell you the story over a cup of tea. It's starting to…oh, my."

"What is it?" Cyrus asked as he turned to face what had spooked Edea. Silently, the scythe wielder cursed as he saw a large army approaching from the east wearing secondhand Galbadian uniforms.

"Caladbolg," Taizen muttered as he unsheathed Knight's Valor. "What are they doing out here?"

"Looking for a fight," Kyra said as she slipped on her Soul Crusher gloves. "And they sure as hell found one."

Cyrus nodded as he grabbed Defiant Reaper. He was halfway towards the stone arch that led into the orphanage when Edea shouted, "Wait!"

The SeeDs turned to face the former sorceress as she said, "Please...if there's any way to prevent bloodshed…for the sake of the children."

Cyrus was confused. Was this really the same sorceress from his nightmares? He decided not to worry about it as he shouted back, "We're SeeDs. We'll do our best to avoid a fight, but our mission takes priority."

Edea sadly nodded, knowing that the young man was correct in his assessment. With that, Cyrus and his team ran out of the courtyard and towards the approaching army, ready to protect this orphanage with everything they had.

* * *

The rain started to fall as Colonel Umar Zekorev led his militia through the mud and mire that was the Centran soil. They were within minutes of reaching their target as Zekorev saw three figures running towards him.

Zekorev motioned for his troops to halt as the three figures came into clearer view. Zekorev, immediately recognizing them as the SeeDs that had caused his army so much misery in the past, unsheathed his Saber as the mercenaries came within speaking distance.

"SeeDs!" Zekorev shouted over the rainfall. "I am Umar Zekorev, colonel of the Caladbolg Militia. We are here to collect the sorceress Edea Kramer on behalf of the Seraphim Society."

"Zekorev, eh?" the cocky voice of Cyrus shouted back. "I remember you! My old man told me you were a pretty upstanding guy, despite being little more than an old battleaxe. Since when does the once prideful colonel of the Galbadian Army bow down to the whims of a bunch of bathrobe-wearing cultists?"

Ignoring the young mercenary's taunting, Zekorev replied, "We have no desire to spill blood here today. Surrender and stand aside, and we promise you won't be killed."

"You obviously haven't been paying much attention to us," Cyrus responded. "You don't tell us to surrender…we tell YOU whether you can surrender or not."

"You are vastly outnumbered," Zekorev tried to explain. "Even with your monster allies, you can't possibly hope to defeat us all."

"You underestimate us, Colonel," the stoic voice of Taizen shouted over the soon-to-be battlefield.

"Just because we're outnumbered, you think the odds are in your favor?" Kyra added. "Guess what…you've got it all wrong. It's you and your targets for soldiers who are in a losing situation."

"My path is clear," Cyrus said with conviction. "And I will not let you or the Society stop me from doing what I have to do. I give you one last chance to turn around and give up. What's your answer?"

"My answer?" Zekorev replied as he motioned for his troops to advance. "My answer is war! Caladbolg, attack!"

The Caladbolg soldiers shouted their war cry as they rushed towards the SeeDs. Cyrus shook his head, knowing that a bloodless confrontation was well and truly out of the question.

"Let's go, guys," Cyrus calmly ordered as he and his friend rushed to meet the Caladbolg Militia in battle.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**_I'm back! The fog has lifted!_**

**_The Earth has shifted, and raised the gifted!_**

**_You'd knew I'd be back, so pack your bone._**

**_And hit the road, Jack! Cuz, Daddy's home!_**

**That's right, the Exile's back in business after a long hiatus! Between the burnout from doing this story plus "Tales of the Exile: Quest for Turkey," I needed a break. But I'm back and recharged and ready to continue rocking this story to its very foundation!**

**Thanks to my loyal reviewers from last chapter and my holiday special: the Duelist of Dawn, Hiiro Mizutani, Ally Todd, trevorami, ExtremeuGamer, BestInInfluence, and AshleyMck712. You guys are what it's all about!**

**We're closing in on this story's conclusion. I have an idea of what I want to do for my next project, but just out of curiosity...what would you like to see me do next? Keep in mind, I will only do what I really want to do, but I always like to hear what my readers think. Anyway, just let me know.**

**I had my birthday on November 25th. The only gift I want from you guys is a review. That's not too much to ask, is it?**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	37. Chapter 37

The rain started to fall heavily on the Cape of Good Hope as three SeeDs began fighting the remnants of the Caladbolg Militia. The ground at their feet was becoming a thick, brown mud as Cyrus made first contact, breaking the Saber of a Caladbolg soldier with a swipe of his scythe and driving Defiant Reaper's blade cleanly through the soldier's gut.

And thus, the trio of Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen began their defense of Edea's House. Magic, steel, flesh, and blood flew as the mercenaries fought back against the revolutionaries. Despite being severely outnumbered, Cyrus and his friends continued the onslaught, striking down any who dared stand against them using their enhanced strength, magical capabilities, and tactics. The SeeD team formed a rough circle, keeping their backs facing one another to prevent any Caladbolg trooper from landing a blindside hit.

As the casualties started to mount, Cyrus and Kyra decided to use more extreme tactics. After finished off one of his latest opponents, Cyrus swung the blunt side of his scythe to Kyra, who grabbed it with both hands. Using every last ounce of strength, Cyrus swung Defiant Reaper to the right with Kyra holding on, right into a group of four Caladbolg soldiers. Kyra, using her reflexes, turned in mid-air and aimed herself like a torpedo. Once she collided with the enemy, she drove the blades of her Phoenix Tears into the throats of two enemies before rapidly gutting the other two with her Soul Crushers. As the Caladbolg soldiers tried to surround Kyra and exact revenge, Cyrus and Taizen rushed in, cutting and dismembering any unfortunate soul who tried to attack their teammate with Knight's Valor and Defiant Reaper.

Kyra joined in the fray, using both her martial arts and daggers to great effect as Caladbolg's body count continued to add up. The SeeDs suffered their fair share of lacerations, but thanks to their healing magic they were able to continue fighting at peak capacity. Finally, after thirty minutes of bloodshed, the first wave of Caladbolg's attack was slaughtered, obliterating a third of the militia's troops.

Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen were all trying to catch their breath as the remaining members of Caladbolg surrounded the trio, cutting off any chance they would have had to escape. The three SeeDs huddled together, their backs facing their teammate's backs. Zekorev stepped out in front and faced Cyrus, shaking his head.

"SeeDs…you've killed so many of my men and stopped my army from taking back my country. I may never get the chance to step foot in Galbadia again, but at least I can exact some measure of revenge for my fallen soldiers."

"You make it sound like we're out of options," Cyrus said mockingly as his breath steadied and he dropped back into his battle stance.

Zekorev looked confused and angered. "What options do you think you have? We have you surrounded with two times as many men as you've slain. Despite your bravado, I know you're injured and tired. What can you possibly do to survive this battle?"

"You can't be that stupid," Cyrus shot back as the rain started to fall down even harder than before. Zekorev finally noticed the energy surrounding Cyrus as the scythe warrior continued, "Up until now, we've been going easy on you, hoping you'd get the idea and end this needless fight. But your pride is blinding you, preventing you from doing what's best for the men whom you command. Fortunately, I know just the thing to shatter one's pride…"

"Attack! Now!" Zekorev shouted to his soldiers as the energy surrounding Cyrus continued to pulse. "Kill them before…"

It was too late as the SeeDs were shot high into the sky, riding Leviathan's mountain. The Protector of the Seas appeared in a flash on top of the mountain as it looked into the eyes of its summoner.

"Are you sure?" the sea serpent asked.

Cyrus nodded. "End this."

Leviathan didn't say another word as his body transformed into a raging Tsunami. However, unlike a typical Tsunami, this one fell in a circular pattern around the recently risen mountain, crashing down and heading for the ring of Caladbolg troopers. Zekorev shouted for his men to fall back, but the falling waters were too fast. In seconds, the waves crashed into the Caladbolg lines, washing many of them out to sea and drowning many more. Leviathan vanished as his mountain slowly receded back into the ground, carrying Cyrus and his friends back down to the battlefield. Once they were back on ground level, the SeeDs surveyed the Cape of Good Hope, looking for any remaining Caladbolg survivors.

Initially, they found none. Leviathan's massive Tsunami had taken its toll, wiping the remnants of the Caladbolg Militia clear from the Centran peninsula. There were a few bodies remaining, but none stirred to life. Cyrus sighed at the waste of life as he heard a low groan from behind him.

Cyrus followed the groan until he found its source. It was Umar Zekorev, surprisingly still breathing. However, the scythe warrior knew that that wouldn't last long; in the wake of Leviathan's attack, Zekorev had been fatally impaled by a wayward Saber.

The proud colonel looked the mercenary in the eyes as he spit on Cyrus's combat boots. "You bastard…you took everything from me. And now you have the gall to lord over me?"

"Shut up," Cyrus shot back, his head hung low. "You think I enjoyed what I just did? I don't mind fighting…in fact, sometimes I enjoy it. But I don't like fighting a useless battle, and this was just that."

"Useless?" Zekorev retorted as he coughed up blood.

"Yeah, useless. My contract with Galbadia ended weeks ago. Caladbolg was no longer my enemy. But you continued to side with the Seraphim Society…you let them make you my enemy. I offered you the chance to walk away…instead, you raised arms against me and my team. This fight was pointless, just as pointless as all the lost lives here today."

Cyrus turned his back to the mortally-wounded colonel and started to walk away. As he started walking, he continued speaking. "I will do whatever I have to in order to protect that which I hold dear. Even if it means fighting a useless fight. I wish you would've taken me up on my offer…but I don't have any regrets. Say hello to Hyne for me, Zekorev."

The colonel was beside himself with rage as he struggled to pull the Saber out of his chest. However, the more he struggled, the more he bled out until he could bleed no longer. Seconds later, the leader of the Caladbolg Militia breathed his last as he became just another corpse on the Cape of Good Hope.

Cyrus walked back to his teammates as he simply said, "Let's head back to Edea's House…and hear what Edea has to say."

Kyra and Taizen nodded as they walked back to the tip of the peninsula and the house located there. The rain continued to fall, washing some of the mud and blood off the SeeDs as they left the battlefield and trudged through the mire.

* * *

Night had fallen as the orphans in Edea's care had been put to bed, sleeping soundly. In Edea's kitchen, the three SeeDs sat around the former sorceress's table drinking tea and warming themselves. Edea had put her kettle back on her stove as she too sat down at the table.

"Thank you," Edea said, finally breaking the silence. "I don't know what those men were planning on doing, but from your expressions I can imagine it wasn't anything charitable."

"It's nothing," Taizen replied. "It was unfortunate that we were unable to convince them to leave peacefully…"

Edea shook her head. "War follows SeeDs. It's something Cid and I have come to terms with."

Cyrus nodded. "We're heading for Battleship Island in the morning. If you don't mind…"

"You want to know about Hyne, correct?" Edea interrupted. "First, tell me: what do you know about Hyne?"

Kyra was the first to speak up. "Well, there are two stories, but they're not much different. Hyne was the creator of humanity. Her vast magical power was feared by humans, and her rule was cruel. In response, humanity rose up and fought her."

"Hyne was then cornered by humans and, as a peace offering, gave half her body to the humans, giving them the power of magic," Taizen added. "The many nations fought for control over Hyne's body until one nation gained control over it."

"That nation was the ancient Zebalga tribe," Cyrus chimed in. "They lusted for the magical power from Hyne's half, but they could not extract the energy. A wise man named Vascaroon came to the Zebalga king and told him that the half he had was worthless…just a cast-off husk of Hyne. Humanity began searching for the elusive god once again, calling her a 'magician.' That's about it."

Edea nodded. "Yes, it is the same story we tell the children. Although in most translations, Hyne is referred to as a male. But the truth is somewhat different."

The kettle on the stove started to whistle. Edea left her seat, grabbed the kettle, and poured herself and the SeeDs a fresh cup of tea. She sat back down and placed the kettle on the table as she started telling her story.

"In the beginning, the world was empty, devoid of life. The goddess Hyne who presided over this world was a vain and callous deity. In her vanity, she created humanity in her image so that she can look upon them and have them reflect her beauty. However, the humans were not Hyne herself, as they lacked any semblance of magical capabilities. But something happened that Hyne did not anticipate: the humans started to love and multiply.

"Fearing the ever-growing population of humans, Hyne descended from the heavens and began to rule the planet with an iron will. Humanity was subjugated and forced to do Hyne's bidding. They cultivated the land, built monuments to glorify Hyne, and toiled for no other reason than to continue being servants to the goddess.

"However, one human grew tired of his status as slave to the goddess. He was called Vascaroon, and he began to speak to his fellow humans and begin an uprising. His small group of followers soon became an army large enough to assassinate the goddess. The battle between Hyne and Vascaroon's army was very long, very bloody. But in the end, Vascaroon was victorious, cleaving Hyne's body in half with his weapon…the farming scythe he used during his servitude."

"Being a goddess, Hyne's other half ran away, never to be seen again. But the half that Vascaroon had severed turned to dust and fused with a handful of mortal women, giving rise to the first sorceresses. Since then, the sorceresses have been revered and feared for millennia, and have been called 'Daughters of Hyne.' The nations that arose after the battle fought over the sorceresses for their power and in response to their fear of them. To some extent, the nations of the world still fight over the power of Hyne. And the rest, as you can imagine, is history."

The three SeeDs, who had been listening intently up until this point, took a minute to digest what Edea had told them. Cyrus in particular was really thinking about Edea's story, especially considering what the former sorceress said about Vascaroon and what Ezerath had called the scythe-wielding SeeD in the past.

"_Vascaroon's heir," _Cyrus thought as he stood up out of his chair. "Thank you, Mrs. Kramer. This certainly puts things into a new perspective. We appreciate it."

"It is nothing," Edea replied. "Well, it is getting late, and even SeeDs need rest. I've prepared some beds for you in the lighthouse. I hope that will be adequate."

"That'll be fine. Thank you," Cyrus said as he turned to his teammates. "Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow, we set sail."

Kyra and Taizen nodded as they gave Edea a polite bow before leaving the kitchen. Cyrus was about to follow them when Edea stopped him by placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Just a minute," Edea pleaded. "Something seems to be distracting you. It almost seems like you are…uncomfortable around me."

Cyrus sighed as he faced the former sorceress. "You've noticed, huh? It's nothing you need to worry about. Just an old memory."

"I see," Edea replied. "It seems that I hurt you somewhat during Ultimecia's possession of me. Am I correct?"

Cyrus nodded as Edea continued, "As a SeeD, you know the truth. But the human side of you must not be able to shake the images of me and the atrocities I committed. From the bottom of my heart, I apologize."

The scythe warrior, who had a stone-like expression on his face this whole time, softened his tone as he said, "No…don't. It wasn't your fault. It's just an old childhood fear I still cling on. A friend once told me that my fear can stop me from doing what I need to do to protect those people and things I care about. I think, having met you in person, I might be able to let go of that fear. Thank you…"

Edea smiled softly as she walked past the SeeD to her own bedroom, stopping only to say, "Spoken like a true SeeD…"

Cyrus nodded as the former sorceress faded into the shadows of the orphanage. He then walked outside and headed for his own quarters in the lighthouse. The rain had stopped and the clouds had disappeared, allowing the moon and stars above to shine brightly and illuminate the night.

The weight in Cyrus's heart was alleviated a little as he opened the door to the lighthouse. However, as he closed the door and headed for his bed, he knew that it would not go away until he completed his mission.

And Cyrus swore to himself before turning in and falling asleep that, no matter what stood in his way, he would complete that mission. That one vow continued to reverberate in his mind as he drifted into slumber.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**New laptop FTW! After five years of using my old one, it was time for an upgrade...and boy did I upgrade. It's eight ways to awesome!**

**To my reviewers who love my battle scenes, I apologize that this one was a bit short. I couldn't really flesh it out too much considering that Caladbolg at this point in the story isn't nearly as big a threat as they were in the beginning, especially without Seraphim reinforcements. Trust me, though...the battles to come are going to be cock-full of awesome. And it all starts in Chapter 38!**

**Thanks as always to the loyal reviewers: BestinInfluence, Hiiro Mizutani, the Duelist of Dawn, ExtremeuGamer, and trevorami. You guys are good soldiers in the fight against apathetic readers! I salute you!**

**And if any of you are Yu-Gi-Oh fans, feel free to check out the Duelist of Dawn's story Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Duel Academy Stories. I'm not that big a fan of the show, but Duelist is an awesome writer and knows how to tell a story, so go look him up!**

**And keep an eye out for my next holiday special sometime before Christmas!**

**Please review! If you don't, I'll send Rambo after you...yes, THAT Rambo. RAMBO!!!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**

**P.S. RAMBO!!!**


	38. Chapter 38

It had been four days since the Valeria left the Cape of Good Hope and headed south in search of Battleship Island. Despite having missed Balamb Garden several times in the past, Cyrus and his friends felt confident that they would finally be able to catch up to Commander Leonhart. Cyrus only hoped they'd be able to do it before Garden reached Battleship Island…

Cyrus was below deck, sharpening Defiant Reaper and checking his supply of combat chemicals and medical potions. In the past couple of days, Cyrus had either helped Taizen with his navigation or sparred with Kyra…albeit much less intensely than during their first sparring match.

Cyrus finished prepping his gear as he looked out a porthole at the vast, seemingly endless ocean. He sighed as he decided to confer with his GFs.

"_You guys awake in there?" _Cyrus mentally asked.

"_**Always," **_Ifrit answered back.

"_**What is it, human?" **_Bahamut asked in a tone that sounded both concerned and annoyed.

"_Just checking on everything. We're getting closer to Battleship Island…and if my hunch is right, we're going to have one hell of a fight on our hands. I don't suppose there's any words of wisdom you'd mind sharing with me before we go to battle?"_

"_**Yes, there is one thing…" **_Leviathan offered, _**"…don't die."**_

Cyrus rolled his eyes as he suppressed an amused chuckle. _"I'll be sure to remember that. Bahamut, you were imprisoned on Battleship Island, right?"_

"_**Do not remind me. What of it?"**_

"_What is it that the researchers found? Do you know?"_

Bahamut sighed as he explained, _**"It was difficult to listen in when locked inside a soundproof cylinder. All I know is that the magic they found was ancient beyond all others…that, and it was dangerous. Even when I was freed by the lion-hearted swordsman, they did not dare venture deeper into the abyss."**_

"_Commander Leonhart was scared to investigate? Holy hell…"_

"_**It was not fear that stopped him," **_Bahamut corrected, _**"It was wisdom. It was pure coincidence that the warrior happened to find me. Once he freed me, he decided that the potential reward at the bottom of the sea was not worth the risk, especially when he had his mission to complete. Once he ended the war throughout time, he never saw the need to come back."**_

"_Until now," _Cyrus added. _"Well, that sucks. It figures that the Seraphim Society would choose that place as the site of Hyne's resurrection. I guess we'll just have to…"_

"Cyrus! We have a problem. Get up to the bridge!" Taizen shouted over the Valeria's intercom system. Cyrus immediately ended his internal conversation, grabbed his gear and scythe, and ran up to the deck and to the bridge.

"What's going on?" Cyrus asked the muscular SeeD.

Taizen said nothing; instead, he simply pointed to the sky. Cyrus turned to see what Taizen was pointing at, and then immediately regretted looking.

There, a mile or so out in the sky, were dozens of flying monsters. Using a pair of binoculars, Cyrus quickly recognized the enemy.

"Ruby dragons," Cyrus muttered as he clenched his fist. Ruby dragons were considered one of if not the most dangerous species of monsters that had ever fallen from the moon. Not only were they strong in both physical and magical attacks, but they also possessed a high level of intelligence. Ruby dragons were capable of not only overwhelming their opponents with superior might, but they could also outthink them.

Kyra joined her teammates on the bridge as they silently assessed this new threat. Kyra was the first to speak up by saying, "Let me guess…the Seraphim Society?"

"They have taken control of monsters in the past," Taizen pointed out. "But so many dragons…are they really this powerful?"

"That really doesn't matter right now!" Cyrus snapped as he turned to face Kyra. "Think you can still shoot?"

Kyra nodded as Cyrus continued, "All right…Kyra, take control of the guns. Let's hope my dad didn't just put them on the Valeria for decoration. Taizen, you have the bridge. Whatever it takes, get this boat to Battleship Island!"

"And what are you planning on doing?" Kyra asked as Cyrus left the bridge and headed out to the deck. Kyra followed her captain closely as she sensed Cyrus's energy increasing.

"Simple," Cyrus finally answered as he raised his hand high into the sky. "I'm going to fight fire with fire."

The once clear skies above the Valeria immediately became cloudy as the shadow of a dragon became clearer in the clouds. Then, the clouds split apart, revealing the Dragon King as he hurled himself down until he was on the Valeria's port side. Cyrus gave Kyra a thumbs-up and a confident smile as he jumped on Bahamut's back and grabbed on to his neck.

"Let's go, Bahamut! We're taking the fight to those rubies!" Cyrus shouted.

Bahamut nodded as he flapped his wings and gained altitude. Kyra shouted something unintelligible as the scythe wielder and his draconic partner flew at incredible speeds towards the oncoming flock of dragons.

"Ready, Bahamut?" Cyrus asked the Dragon King as they got within range.

Bahamut nodded as he started gathering energy near his maw. "Let us unleash hell."

"You got it!" Cyrus shouted as he focused similar energy into his hand. Seconds later, both dragon and SeeD unleashed their attacks: Bahamut's in the form of a Flare Ball, Cyrus's as a Flare spell. Both attacks hit their intended targets as a pair of ruby dragons collided with the magical spells and were mortally wounded, sending them falling down into the sea below. Cyrus and Bahamut wasted no time as they focused their magical energies again.

Meanwhile, Kyra had found the controls for the Valeria's 120 mm cannons and was acclimating herself to them. Once she had gotten a good feel for them, she aimed the massive guns at the nearest ruby dragon, made sure to lead it just enough, and opened fire. Her aim was true as the powerful shells hit the dragon dead center, killing the monster in an explosive flurry. Kyra, grateful that her marksmanship training was not in vain, reloaded and scanned the sky for another target.

And thus, Cyrus and Bahamut attacked the dragons from the sky with Flare spells while Kyra provided supporting fire. The rubies retaliated with fiery attacks, but Bahamut and Taizen were able to dodge them as both the Valeria and the Dragon King continued moving forward.

One of the ruby dragons, who apparently was a little more clever than the rest, decided to stop attacking with fire as it launched a high-powered Aero spell at Bahamut. The wind spell had little effect on the Dragon King, but it was powerful enough to blow Cyrus off the GF's back and send him plummeting.

Bahamut was moving too fast to make a turn to catch Cyrus, but the scythe wielder had other ideas. As he fell, Cyrus aimed an Aero spell below him and used the wind to help keep him in the air long enough as a ruby dragon flew right below him. At just the right moment, Cyrus allowed himself to fall right onto the back of the ruby dragon. Enraged, the ruby thrashed violently to rid itself of its unwanted passenger as Cyrus hung on for dear life. The ruby dragon failed as Cyrus took Defiant Reaper and drove the blade into the ruby dragon's back, causing the monster unimaginable pain. It was at that moment that Bahamut had turned around and launched another Flare Ball at the ruby dragon Cyrus was riding on. Seconds before the spell connected with its target, Cyrus removed Defiant Reaper's blade from the ruby's back and jumped up. The ruby dragon was eviscerated by Bahamut's attack as Cyrus was picked up by the Dragon King.

"Nice one, Bahamut!" Cyrus shouted to his GF as Bahamut turned around, only to see a dozen ruby dragons approaching, all attacking in unison with flamethrower-like attacks.

"Reflect!" Cyrus shouted at the last second, forming a protective magical barrier around Bahamut as the flames were sent flying back to the dragons. However, being fiery beings, the flames did nothing to the rubies as they reeled back for another barrage.

"Bahamut!" Cyrus exclaimed as the Dragon King knew what his summoner was going to ask him. Bahamut gathered incredible energy in his mouth as the magical power reached its climax. Seconds later, Bahamut lurched back and released all that energy in his signature attack: the Mega Flare.

The powerful Flare stream collided with the ruby dragons, obliterating anything it touched in an instant. Bahamut moved the stream left and right, destroying every ruby dragon in sight as Kyra finished off the stragglers with the Valeria's cannons. A minute later, the Mega Flare had finished its onslaught, and there were no more ruby dragons left in their way.

"Cyrus, look ahead," Bahamut said to his summoner as the scythe-wielding SeeD stood up on Bahamut's back to get a better look. There, off in the distance, was a large, derelict man-made construct that floated in the middle of the sea, far away from any semblance of civilization. It was Galbadian in design and was covered with coral, seaweed, and rust from the ocean's salt water.

"Battleship Island," Cyrus muttered as something else caught his eye. There, docked on the east side of the research facility was a familiar-looking blue dome…

"Kyra, you guys seeing what I'm seeing?" Cyrus asked through his comlink.

"Yeah…it's Balamb Garden. We've finally found it," Kyra replied back. "What's our next move?"

"Simple," Cyrus answered. "Have Taizen dock the Valeria and meet me on the landing platform. We then rendezvous with the Commander and bring the Seraphim Society down."

"Finally!" Kyra exclaimed excitedly as Cyrus smiled. He then turned his attention to Bahamut and said, "Let's go."

Bahamut nodded as he flapped his mighty wings and carried his summoner across the skies and towards Battleship Island. Cyrus sat down on Bahamut's back as he checked his gear one last time and cleared his mind for the fight to come.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, and Bahamut had landed gently on Battleship Island. Cyrus jumped off the dragon's back and landed right beside his GF. Cyrus, despite not knowing Bahamut for very long, could sense the GF's uneasiness at returning here.

"Listen, Bahamut…I'm sorry you had to come back here, but…"

"Do not finish that sentence, Cyrus," Bahamut interrupted with a snarl. "I am here, regardless of whether I want to be or not. The past is the past, so let us move on."

Cyrus nodded. "Got it. You better…"

"Halt, intruders."

Cyrus turned to face this new voice, only to come face-to-face with several Seraphim cultists walking up to him and Bahamut slowly…deliberately.

"Guess my hunch was right," Cyrus said as he grabbed Defiant Reaper and dropped into his battle stance. "Where's Commander Leonhart?"

One of the cultists answered, "He and the rest of his heathens are deeper in the abyss. We were unable to stop his advance, so we remained behind and waited for reinforcements. Sensei Ezerath knew you would be following him to slay the goddess like your ancestor before you."

"Yeah, yeah…Vascaroon's heir and all that," Cyrus shot back flippantly. "I just wanted to verify that the Commander and the SeeDs were kicking your ass. I didn't really care about the rest. Now, are you going to get out of my way, or am I going to have to send you all to your beloved Hyne early?"

The Seraphim cultists responded as they typically did with any threats…by focusing magical energy into their hands and preparing for a barrage of powerful spells. Cyrus shook his head as he turned to the Dragon King.

"Bahamut, show these zealots what power really looks like."

"With pleasure," Bahamut replied as he launched several Flare Balls at the cultists, annihilating them without any mercy. The landing pad was cleared in an instant as Bahamut returned to Cyrus's mind. Seconds later, Kyra and Taizen made it up to the rendezvous point and reunited with their captain.

"We heard explosions," Taizen said, his hand hovering near Knight's Valor's hilt. "Are you all right, Cyrus?"

"Nothing to worry about," Cyrus said reassuringly. "Just a little clean-up. The Commander's already inside with an army of SeeDs, but some cultists remained behind to cut off any reinforcements. Let's cut through them and meet up with the SeeDs."

"Right!" Kyra exclaimed as she and Taizen followed their captain across the landing pad and into a hatch leading into Battleship Island. Cyrus kicked the door in and motioned for his teammates to follow him into the darkness and the nightmares that awaited them in the abyss.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**And Bahamut makes his debut on the side of good! I was really looking forward to writing this aerial assault, and I had to scrap several different ideas before settling on what I wrote. Hope it brought the epic!**

**And now, to thank the reviewers: the Duelist of Dawn, Ally Todd, ExtremeuGamer, trevorami, BestinInfluence, and Hiiro Mizutani. As always, I bow to your excellent review skills!**

**They can't stop me, let 'em try! For the reviews of my readers, I will...take quite a lot of punishment. But not die. Seriously, I can't allow myself to croak! (This joke brought to you by "Die for Metal" by Manowar!)**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	39. Chapter 39

The SeeD team of Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen, after walking through the doorway, found themselves in a circular room overgrown with vines. In the center of this room was a hole leading into the depths of Battleship Island, with vines permitting any brave travelers access to the facilities below.

To Cyrus's dismay, he also saw the fallen bodies of his SeeD brethren laying there, mutilated by the Seraphim Society's magic. Cyrus took heart in the fact that there were just as many cultist corpses amongst his fallen comrades, but the scythe wielder still said a silent prayer and swore revenge.

"All right," Cyrus finally spoke out as he pointed towards the central hole. "Looks like we have to go down from here. And from the looks of things, the fighting's been fierce. Be ready for anything."

Both Kyra and Taizen nodded as the sound of slithering scales echoed throughout the dark room. The three SeeDs drew their weapons and started searching for the source of the noise.

This new foe revealed itself as six anacondaurs slithered into view, all with glowing yellow eyes. The snake-like monsters surrounded the SeeDs as their forked tongues flipped in and out of their fanged maws.

"The Seraphim Society was prepared for reinforcements," Taizen concluded as he held Knight's Valor out in front of him with both hands, ready to strike.

"_**I am afraid it is much worse than that," **_Bahamut said from inside Cyrus's mind. _**"These serpents are just some of the monsters attracted to this site by the magical force underneath."**_

"_Great," _Cyrus thought as he shouted to his teammates, "These snakes are just here to delay us. Let's kill them and move on!"

"Right!" Kyra acknowledged as she leapt at one of the anacondaurs, slashing at it with her Phoenix Tears. The crimson blades barely missed their target as the swift serpent dodged and brought its head down, looking to bash Kyra. The lithe fighter back-flipped out of the way, jumped forward towards the anacondaur, and brought her foot down on top of its head with a vicious heel drop. The anacondaur's skull fell hard onto the metal floor as Kyra backed off. To her amazement, the anacondaur staggered back to a vertical base and faced off against the red-haired martial artist.

"What the hell?" Kyra swore as she dropped back into a battle stance. "That heel drop should've crushed that thing's head in!"

Cyrus was about to say something as three more anacondaurs launched themselves at the SeeDs. In response, Cyrus and Taizen used their weapons to block the serpents in midair and throw them back against the research facility's metal walls. Much like the one Kyra attacked, the anacondaurs simply shook off the pain and returned to circling the mercenaries.

"It's the magic deposit," Cyrus finally explained. "The monsters here were originally attracted to it and migrated here. These anacondaurs were exposed to the magical energies and have gotten stronger as a result."

"With all due respect, Cyrus…I don't think that particularly matters right now," Taizen said as he readied himself for another attack.

Cyrus nodded as he too dropped into a battle stance. "Right. They may be stronger, but they're still flesh and blood. Take them down!"

With that, the SeeDs took the fight to the anacondaurs. Kyra first faced off against the one she had failed to kill the first time, looking to finish what she started. The anacondaur whipped its tail around and struck Kyra with it. However, instead of falling, Kyra grabbed the tail and drove one of her daggers deep into it, causing the serpent to hiss and screech in agony. Having distracted her foe, Kyra ran the dagger down the length of the snake monster until she was close enough to lob the anacondaur's head off with her other dagger and finally end its life. Kyra had little time to enjoy her victory as another anacondaur rushed her, looking to constrict her with its powerful muscles. Before Kyra could react, a large bolt of electricity in the form of a Thundaga spell, shocking and stunning the snake monster. Kyra took full advantage of this as she focused her energy into a Blizzaga spell, freezing the anacondaur and the surrounding area in thick ice. After the spell was completed, Kyra drove her fist into the frozen serpent, shattering it.

"Thanks, Tai!" Kyra shouted as Taizen nodded back. The tank-like SeeD then turned to face his opponents as two more anacondaurs circled around him, attempting to strike him from both the front and the back. Taizen tried to think of a strategy to overcome the serpents as one of them collapsed to the ground, a pair of daggers embedded in its cranium.

Taizen silently thanked Kyra as he rushed the other anacondaur, Knight's Valor high in the air. The serpent had little time to react as the heavy zweihander came down in force in a mighty cleave, rending the anacondaur asunder.

Meanwhile, Cyrus was faced off with the final two snake monsters. The anacondaurs attacked one at a time, keeping the scythe fighter on the defensive constantly. One serpent bit down on Defiant Reaper and fought Cyrus for it as the human and monster struggled to keep it in their possession. That was the opening that the second anacondaur needed as it quickly slithered towards Cyrus and wrapped him up with its body, looking to squeeze the life out of the SeeD. As Cyrus fought to get free, he could feel his consciousness slipping away from him as his world slowly crept into darkness…

"Cyrus!"

Kyra shouting his name was enough to bring Cyrus's senses back as he immediately focused his energy and cast a Firaga spell on himself. Thanks to Ifrit, the fire spell didn't hurt him very much; the anacondaur, however, was not nearly as lucky as the inferno completely torched its scaly body, killing the serpent by immolation. Freed from the anacondaur's deadly embrace, Cyrus wasted no time in rushing the final serpent, driving Defiant Reaper's blade into the monster's midsection, and slicing it in half. The anacondaur struggled to live for a few seconds before bleeding out and giving up the ghost.

Cyrus grabbed an elixir from his coat pocket and drank it down, alleviating the pain from the anacondaur's constriction and restoring his energy. He then turned to his teammates and said in a surprisingly even tone, "Well, shall we?"

Kyra smirked as both she and Taizen nodded. The three SeeDs headed for the hole in the middle of the floor and, making sure the vines were sturdy enough to hold their weight, used them to descend deeper into Battleship Island.

* * *

Once they had reached the end of the vine, Cyrus and his friends found themselves in a derelict research laboratory. The instruments, at one time highly advanced Galbadian technology, were now rusted and well beyond repair. Cyrus shook his head at such a waste as his attention was turned to a group of Seraphim cultists running up from an open hatch on the floor.

"You guys again?" Cyrus said with a sigh as he grabbed Defiant Reaper. He then told Kyra and Taizen, "These pricks aren't our target. We're cutting through!"

His teammates nodded in acknowledgment as the SeeD team leapt at the Seraphim cultists, not giving them a chance to cast their spells. As the last one fell to Taizen's sword, another group emerged from the hatch, this time accompanied by a high priest.

The priest, anticipating the SeeDs' speed advantage, remained in the back as he cast Haste spells on his acolytes, followed by a series of spells allowing them to cast two or three spells at a time. With these advantages, the cultist unleashed a ferocious barrage against the mercenaries as Cyrus and Taizen feverishly attempted to block the spells with their weapons.

While her teammates held off the Seraphim's assault, Kyra locked onto the high priest and drew some magic from him. Recognizing it immediately, Kyra cast the same spell on herself that the high priest cast on the acolytes, allowing her to cast spells in rapid succession. And she had just the right spell in mind…

"Silence!"

The muting spells immediately put a stop to the Seraphim's onslaught, giving Cyrus and Taizen the opening they needed to take the offensive. The Seraphim cultists were swiftly slaughtered by the combined might of Defiant Reaper and Knight's Valor, and as the high priest fell to the metal floor dead, Cyrus looked back at Kyra and winked.

"Thanks. Tai and I were getting a bit worked-over."

"Don't mention it," Kyra replied. "Well, what are we waiting for? Ezerath's ass still needs to be kicked, and I for one don't want anyone else to do it before us!"

Cyrus nodded as he leapt down the hatch, followed by Taizen and Kyra. Sure enough, just like the first floor, a squad of Seraphim cultists were waiting for them. The SeeD team, without hesitation, leapt into the fray and took the fight to the white-robed acolytes. And thus it continued as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen fought against wave after wave of Seraphim acolytes and high priests, crushing any that stood in their way as they kept climbing down deeper into the research facility. Despite slaying every last cultist in their way, they did manage to slow and injure the mercenaries with their various assortment of magic. Both Cyrus and Kyra were suffering from electrical burns from a host of lightning spells as well as several lacerations, ranging from minor to medium in severity. Taizen had his arm broken thanks to a Blizzaga spell, but was otherwise all right.

Finally, the swarming hordes of the Seraphim Society ended, giving the SeeDs a much-needed chance to heal up. They had just finished casting their Curaga spells when the sound of metal clashing and pounding beneath them.

"That…doesn't sound like the Seraphim Society's handiwork," Kyra noted. "Think it's more monsters?"

"Maybe, but does it matter? If there's something standing in our way, we annihilate it. There's nothing else to think about."

"Great minds think alike!" Kyra exclaimed as the SeeD team gathered their weapons and gear and headed down this latest hatch, which they hoped would be the last one.

As it turned out, it was. The SeeDs reached the bottom of Battleship Island…and found the monster that had been causing the noise below.

There, a few feet in front of them, were Instructors Zell Dincht and Quistis Trepe. While Zell was exhausted but still standing, Quistis was lying on the floor, seemingly unconscious. Beyond them stood a pale swordsman wearing a black cloak.

"Rizo…" Cyrus muttered under his breath as he removed Defiant Reaper from its sheath.

"Well, well…looks like the whole gang's finally here," Rizo shouted mockingly as he held his Devourer swords at his sides. "I've been waiting for you, Cy."

"Looks like you've been waiting in a cave like the worm you are," Cyrus shot back as he walked towards Zell and Quistis. Zell, despite looking like he was completely wiped out, turned to Cyrus and commanded, "Don't move, kid! This creep's too strong!"

"Stay out of it," Rizo calmly demanded as he launched a Firaga spell at the worn-out fighter, sending him flying back against the steel walls of the sunken research facility. Kyra, concerned for her mentor, ran towards him to check on his condition.

Cyrus, for his part, never stopped staring down Rizo as he started walking towards the scythe fighter. The arrogant, power-mad swordsman spoke as he approached Cyrus and the prone body of Quistis, "You know, if there's one thing I hate, it's people distracting me when I'm trying to kill someone. So why don't I do us all a favor and rid us of any distractions?"

With that, the executioner of the Seraphim Society walked up to the fallen Quistis as he raised one of his Devourers in the air, aiming right for the blonde instructor's neck. Before he could bring the blade down and decapitate Quistis, Taizen rushed into Rizo and shoved him back towards the exit leading into what looked like a dig site. Without hesitating, Cyrus raised his hand and cast a Blizzaga spell, creating a wall of ice between him and Rizo.

"Really, Cy?" Rizo taunted from the other side of the ice wall. "Are you that scared? Fine, I needed a warm-up before I end your sorry life."

As Rizo worked feverishly to slash through the ice, Cyrus knelt down beside Quistis as he shook his head. "Seriously, Instructor…going against Rizo without a GF? What were you thinking?"

Cyrus grabbed Quistis's hand as he mentally called for Leviathan. _"Can you help her?"_

"_**Yes. I can help keep her alive if I junction myself with her. She will need medical attention, but my power will give her the strength to survive. Is that your wish, warrior?"**_

"_Yeah. Leviathan, I release you from your pact with me, and would have you junction with Instructor Trepe. Keep her alive…keep her safe."_

Leviathan said nothing as the Protector of the Seas left Cyrus's mind and transferred himself to the fallen SeeD instructor. Cyrus could feel Leviathan's branding vanish as the tribal image appeared on Quistis's arm. In addition, the image of Leviathan disappeared from Defiant Reaper as Cyrus regained his senses from the loss of his trusted GF.

After the transfer, he turned to Taizen and said, "Take her back a ways, and get her healed up. Help Kyra fix up Instructor Dincht as well."

"And you?" Taizen asked as the sound of metal cutting into ice starting creeping closer.

Cyrus stood up and shouldered Defiant Reaper. He faced the ice wall as he replied, "I'm fulfilling a promise I made to another warrior. Go…this fight is mine and mine alone."

Taizen was worried, but said nothing as he scooped up Quistis in his arms and ran back towards Kyra and Zell. Cyrus waited for only a couple of seconds before the ice shattered, revealing the demon once known as Rizo Malachi.

Dark energy poured out of the former SeeD as his eyes glowed bright yellow. He flashed Cyrus a wicked smile as he asked, "Well Cy, ready to die?"

"No…I'm not," Cyrus muttered as he rushed towards Rizo, a move that the swordsman mimicked. Their blades met as their newest duel commenced in the depths of the abyss...

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Well, well, well...Rizo verses Cyrus 4! This should be interesting, to say the least. The epic EXPLODES next time in Chapter 40.**

**Wow, 40 chapters? I never thought this story would be so long, nor did I think it would find so many reviewers. Hell, this month alone I had over 500 hits...and it's not even midway through the month!**

**A special Wayward Warrior welcome to my newest reviewer: ceedubya0275! Thanks for the review, and I hope you continue to do so. And as always, thanks to my loyal legion of reviewers, including BestInInfluence, ExtremeuGamer, trevorami, Hiiro Mizutani, and the Duelist of Dawn! EXCELSIOR!**

**If I don't upload in the near future, it's because I'll be working on my "Tales of the Exile" Christmas special. Please, please be patient with the Repentant Reaper!**

**Obama promises, but doesn't deliver. Me? I'm like FedEx...send me the reviews and I deliver the awesomeness!**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	40. Chapter 40

The force of the contact between Cyrus and Rizo reverberated throughout the research facility's metal walls. Cyrus's Defiant Reaper struggled to hold back Rizo's Devourers as the scythe wielder once again found himself lacking the strength to truly match Rizo. Still, this didn't stop Cyrus from pushing Rizo back and throwing himself at the Seraphim Society's executioner, sending both warriors through the doorway and into Battleship Island's dig site.

The dig site was littered with stone columns and walkways, indicating that, by some means unknown, the Centra Empire had established a community of sorts out in the middle of the sea. Cyrus, however, didn't take the time to admire the ruins as he stood up and stared down Rizo, something the swordsman mimicked.

Just as Cyrus was about to attack again, he heard the distance sounds of battle: clashing steel and spell-casting. Rizo, noticing the scythe wielder's attention diverted, crossed his swords and unleashed his Black Flame Slash attack, sending the ebony fire rocketing towards Cyrus. Cyrus, regaining his focus, quickly sidestepped the attack and rushed Rizo, bringing his scythe down on the swordsman.

Rizo, without missing a beat, brought his swords up to block Cyrus's cleave. As Rizo held off Cyrus's attack, Cyrus whispered menacingly to Rizo, "From the sound of it, your new friends have got their hands full."

"Is that what's got you so cocky?" Rizo replied. "Cy, you can't be that stupid. You think I give a damn what happens to either SeeD or the Seraphim Society? I've already got what I want from Ezerath, and once I kill you there'll be no question who's the strongest warrior."

"Is that what this was all about? Gaining power, murdering people…it was just to beat me?"

"You finally get it," Rizo confirmed with a sick grin. "I can't move on until I prove that I'm stronger than you. And not just beating you…oh, no. It has to be a complete victory, the kind where one warrior lives and the other dies. I sold my soul for the strength to do that, and I'm not going to waste it!"

Cyrus, now well and truly pissed-off, called upon some hidden strength to shove Rizo back a couple of yards. He shouldered his scythe as energy began seeping out of his body. "You really have become a monster, Rizo. Sacrificing everything just for petty pride? You know, when you became a SeeD, I actually believed you had earned it. Now…now, you don't even deserve to be called a human being. This power you gained…I'm going to overcome it and humble you!"

Rizo simply scoffed as he lunged at Cyrus, forcing the scythe-wielding SeeD to back-step and block Rizo's Devourers with Defiant Reaper. Not waiting for Rizo to overcome his defense, Cyrus used his leg to kick Rizo's out from under him, forcing him to fall to the ground. Taking advantage, Cyrus went for the kill by bringing his scythe blade down. Before it could hit its target, Rizo rolled out of the way and kipped up. To Cyrus's surprise, Rizo smirked as he ran deeper into the deep sea deposit, towards the sounds of battle between SeeD and the Seraphim Society. Confused, Cyrus immediately shook it off as he gave chase, sending para-magic spells flying at his prey.

Rizo deftly dodged the attacks until, after several minutes of running, he stopped and faced Cyrus. The area he stopped in was littered with jutting Alio Crystals, apparently placed there to siphon the deep sea deposit's residual magic. Rizo held up his hand as dark energy gathered in his palm. He then shook his head in disappointment as he simply said, "Gravija."

The most powerful gravity-based spell surrounded Cyrus as he felt his body twist and contort in ways he'd never felt before. The spell lasted for what seemed like an eternity to the SeeD as it finally dissipated, leaving Cyrus barely standing and gasping for air.

Without giving Cyrus a chance to recover, Rizo again charged up for another spell, looking to finish him off. His attack, however, was stopped as a blade pierced his abdomen from behind. Rizo, without even flinching, looked behind him to see who the attacker was...and saw a very frightened SeeD.

"Now, that was just dumb," Rizo commented as he pulled the blade out from his torso and allowed the magic of the Seraphim Society close and heal his wound. The SeeD looked like he had seen a ghost as Rizo nonchalantly brought one of his Devourers down along the SeeD's chest, killing him without mercy.

Cyrus, still woozy from the Gravija, looked on in horror as Rizo flicked the SeeD's blood from his Devourer. The black-cloaked swordsman turned to face Cyrus with a look of disgust on his face.

"Pathetic. He wasn't even junctioned. Hardly a meal…"

"A meal?" Cyrus asked. "What do you mean, 'a meal?'"

Rizo started laughing. "Oh, come on! Why do you think my swords are called 'Devourers?' They're infused with Alio Crystals. Anything they cut with any magical energy, and they devour the energy just like the crystals themselves. That's the true nature of my power, Cy. The more I cut, the more I slaughter…the stronger I get!"

"_So that's it, huh?" _Cyrus said to himself. He then started to smile, something Rizo didn't expect. "Hey, what the hell, Cy? What the fuck are you smiling about?"

"It's simple," Cyrus explained as he dropped back into his battle stance. "All this time, you've been boasting about your so-called superior power. The sad truth is that it's not your power at all. All this strength…it's nothing more than the remains of all your victims. You're not fighting me with your own strength. All you're doing is hiding behind someone else's power!"

"Bullshit!" Rizo swore as he gathered immense dark energy around him. "This power is mine! I gathered it, I made it my own! And I'll use every last bit of it to send you straight to hell!"

Rizo rushed Cyrus, looking to unleash his Berserker's Rage attack. However, before he could reach the scythe wielder, Cyrus attacked with a Flare spell, stopping Rizo in his tracks and sending him flying through a stone pillar. Rizo fell to the ground hard as he worked to regenerate himself, but finding it taking too long due to the severity of his internal injuries.

Cyrus, looking to finish Rizo off, ran towards the fallen swordsman with murderous intentions. Rizo, still trying to repair his broken body, focused his energy as the familiar sight of a dark sphere hovered above him…

Cyrus stopped before reaching Rizo as Diablos descended from the sphere. The Dark Messenger flapped his wings and drove himself straight at Cyrus, piercing his shoulder with his razor-sharp claws and sending him rocketing back. Diablos then shot straight into the air and threw the SeeD to the ground with incredible velocity as Cyrus's body made a two-foot deep crater into a ruined Centran walkway.

"Damn it," Cyrus muttered as he slowly got back to his feet. His shoulder was dislocated and two of his ribs were shattered, making it hard to breathe. Cyrus cast a Curaga spell on himself, alleviating some of the pain as he stood up and faced the Dark Messenger eye-to-eye.

"So, that's how it's going to be, huh?" Cyrus shouted at his demonic adversary. He then shoved his shoulder back into its socket with a sickening "pop" as he grimaced and continued:

"My fight isn't with you, Diablos. It's your summoner's head I want."

"Under any other circumstances, that would be agreeable to me," Diablos admitted. "But Rizo Malachi is my summoner, and as such I have no choice but to follow his orders. His will is my command…"

"Pity," Cyrus replied as he focused his energy for a summoning. However, before he could call a GF to battle, he was stopped by the familiar sound of Kyra shouting at him. Cyrus turned his head slightly and saw Kyra and Taizen running towards him. His two teammates ran up beside him, Kyra to his right and Taizen to his left. Kyra quickly looked over her captain and bluntly said, "You look like hell, hotshot."

Cyrus snickered as he retorted, "This is nothing. You should see Rizo."

"What about me, Cy?" Rizo called out as he walked up beside his GF, now fully recovered from Cyrus's Flare spell. He flashed a wicked smile as Diablos continued hovering above.

"The instructors?" Cyrus asked in a low tone.

"They are safe," Taizen answered. "Both Instructor Dincht and Trepe are recovering, thanks to Headmaster Kinneas and Headmistress Tilmitt, along with another squad of SeeDs. Apparently, they flew in on the Ragnarok spaceship after receiving an encoded message from Commander Leonhart."

"Good," Cyrus replied as he turned his attention back to Rizo. "Think you and Kyra can keep Diablos busy while I finish my fight with Rizo?"

"Consider it done," Taizen replied as he unsheathed Knight's Valor. Kyra, for her part, looked at her captain with a concerned look, something Cyrus immediately noticed.

"I know what you're going to say, Kyra. And to be honest, you're probably right…I'm not in any condition to keep fighting Rizo. But this is something I need to do. One way or another, I have to finish this. So don't…"

Before Cyrus could finish his sentence, Kyra rushed into him and pressed her lips against his in a passionate, fiery kiss. Cyrus was completely overwhelmed as Kyra released the lip-lock and stared down the scythe wielder with fire in her eyes.

"Fine! If you have to be an idiot, then do what you have to do. You just better not die, or I'll be sure to kill you myself!"

Cyrus, for once, was completely speechless. Once he got his wits back, he simply smiled at Kyra and nodded his head knowingly. Kyra flashed him her trademark wicked smile as she turned to face Diablos and rushed the Dark Messenger alongside Taizen. The pair drove the demonic GF to another section of the ruins, leaving Rizo alone with Cyrus.

"Wow…that poor lady's going to get her heart broken," Rizo mockingly commented. "Especially after I kill you. But don't worry, Cy…I'll be sure to comfort her when you're dead and gone."

The smile left Cyrus's face as his anger began to rise. "Is that right? You really think it's going to be that easy?"

Rizo started cackling. "Are you serious? You can't beat me, Cy. With the combined power of Diablos and the Seraphim Society, I'm simply too much for you to overcome. Or did you forget how I mopped the floor with your sorry ass back at Fisherman's Horizon?"

"No," Cyrus said in a tone just above a whisper. "I haven't forgotten. In fact, it's been eating me for weeks just how easily you beat me in FH. But here's the thing you need to understand, Rizo…"

In a flash, Cyrus lunged at Rizo and swung Defiant Reaper at the swordsman with incredible force. Rizo, nearly caught off guard, used his Devourers to block Cyrus's attack. Cyrus continued pressing as he continued to say:

"…I will never relent, never surrender. I'll keep fighting until I finish this fight or die. So take your so-called 'power' and let it all out…because I promise you, you're going to need every last bit of it!"

With that, Cyrus pushed Rizo back and continued the onslaught, catching Rizo by surprised with the strength, speed, and fury of his attacks. Rizo, for his part, tapped into more of his stolen power and began matching Cyrus blow-for-blow, strike-for-strike. The two warriors continued exchanging attacks as both of them managed to draw blood from various slashes, while the battle between Kyra, Taizen, and Diablos continued in the background and the sound of SeeD fighting the Seraphim Society became a requiem for Cyrus and Rizo's fight. Rizo, even with his regenerating magics, couldn't keep up with the sheer amount of lacerations inflicted upon him by the scythe-wielding SeeD. However, the Seraphim executioner also managed to take his pound of flesh from Cyrus as the SeeD suffered from deep gashes to his chest, arms, and legs.

Several minutes after their initial exchange, and both Cyrus and Rizo were suffering greatly. Their clothes were becoming soaked in blood as their wounds continued to hemorrhage. Cyrus, taking a quick drink from a low-grade potion to at least stymie the bleeding, tossed the bottle aside as Rizo's wounds started to close on their own, albeit very slowly.

"You've gotten stronger," Rizo admitted as he continued focusing on healing. "But you're still not strong enough. But at least you've given me what I've always wanted…you've forced me to unleash my full power."

As he spoke, Rizo body began to pulse with even stronger, more potent dark energy. As it swirled around him, Rizo spoke somberly, "I've told you once before, Cy…I'm the closest thing to a god you'll ever see. Too bad praying and worshipping me isn't going to save you from my wrath."

"A god, huh?"

Cyrus's statement caught Rizo somewhat off-guard as the scythe wielder spoke, "I've fought a lot of battles against the Seraphim Society. And every one of those cultists kept telling me that struggling against the will of Hyne was meaningless. But the thing is…they've also called me Vascaroon's heir. Tell me, who was it that fell the goddess in the first place?"

Rizo was seething as Cyrus's aura began to pulse and vibrate. Cyrus calmly shouldered his scythe as he continued talking, "I may not be Vascaroon, but he did prove one thing: even a mortal can defy the heavens. You call yourself a god? Well, in just a few seconds, your holiness can keep Hyne company in the abyss!"

Having heard enough, Rizo lunged at Cyrus with bloody murder on his mind. Cyrus, however, didn't flinch as his aura continued to grow stronger. Rizo, without hesitating, looked to gore Cyrus with his Devourers, ending this battle with one final thrust.

But Rizo's victory was not meant to be.

In certain individuals, there exists a large amount of untapped energy. This energy remains dormant in the individuals until such a time where their endurance, strength, and will are pushed past the breaking point. Once that point is reached, those individuals can unleash that energy in a vicious final attack.

That technique is known as a Limit Break.

And Cyrus Ranto had just reached his breaking point.

Just before Rizo reached Cyrus, the scythe-wielder disappeared in a flash. Before Rizo could even register what had happened, he felt the familiar cold blade of Defiant Reaper dig itself deep into his back, cutting through flesh and muscle as he fell to his knees in agony. A second later, Cyrus reemerged behind the fallen swordsman, his scythe coated in blood.

"Shadow Harvest," Cyrus muttered as he turned to Rizo and pointed his open palm at the fallen executioner. He then proceeded to search Rizo's spirit for the Guardian Force. Once he found Diablos, he drew out the GF and immediately junctioned with the Dark Messenger. The tribal brand of a winged demon appeared on Cyrus's arm as the effigy of Diablos was magically engraved on Defiant Reaper on the spot left vacant by Leviathan. Cyrus quickly got used to his new GF as Diablos spoke mentally to his new summoner:

"_**I do not understand, mortal. I tried to annihilate you and your comrades, I fought on the side of your enemy. Why would you junction with me?"**_

"_You said it yourself, Diablos," _Cyrus replied. _"You fought only because you were junctioned with Rizo. I know you are a proud warrior and your strength will be greatly needed in the fights to come. So, what do you say?"_

If Diablos were standing in front of Cyrus, he would have flashed a wicked, toothy grin. _**"I feel sorry for any unfortunate soul who dares stand against us."**_

"_**Well said, Dark Messenger," **_Ifrit chimed in as both GFs receded into Cyrus's mind. Seconds later, Kyra and Taizen were running up to Cyrus as the scythe-wielder started feeling the after-effects of his Shadow Harvest Limit Break.

"Cyrus!" Kyra exclaimed as she rushed over and helped her captain maintain his footing. Taizen, not far behind, immediately began using healing and restorative magic on Cyrus.

"We were fighting Diablos, but it was not as difficult as it could have been," Taizen explained. "It seems he was distracted by his summoner's battle…or perhaps his heart wasn't in the fight. Then, all of a sudden…"

"…he vanished, right?" Cyrus interrupted. "I drew him from Rizo, and I junctioned him to me. Diablos is my Guardian Force now."

"You…bastard," Rizo croaked out as he staggered to his feet. He shot Cyrus a look intended to kill as he tried to keep his footing by planting a Devourer in the ground. "This…isn't…over. Not by a long shot. One way or another, you're going down, Cy!"

Despite being on spaghetti legs, Rizo managed to rush over to Cyrus with an incredible burst of speed. Cyrus, unable to defend himself due to exhaustion, could only stand as Rizo closed the distance.

However, before Rizo could reach Cyrus, Kyra stepped out in front and stopped Rizo with a knee to the stomach. As Rizo doubled-over, Kyra drew one of her Phoenix Tears and drove its blade deep into the back of Rizo's neck, cutting the swordsman's throat. Rizo choked on his own blood for a few seconds before he fell to the ground in a heap…the man that would be a god had breathed his last.

Kyra turned to Cyrus as Taizen, who hadn't stopped healing the scythe-wielding SeeD, finished his healing spells. Cyrus, feeling normal again, looked Kyra in the eyes as the crimson-haired fighter tried to explain her actions.

"Listen, hotshot. Don't give me any bullshit about how you needed to kill Rizo yourself. I did what I had to do, so I don't want to hear…"

"Kyra," Cyrus interrupted as he gently grabbed her shoulders and smiled, "nice work. What say we find Ezerath and pull an encore?"

Kyra, realizing that Cyrus was thanking her in his own way, nodded and smiled as Cyrus sheathed Defiant Reaper and motioned for his teammates to follow him down a shaft where the sounds of battle were louder than the ambient sounds surrounding him. Before descending into the depths, Cyrus looked back one last time at the fallen corpse that had once been Rizo Malachi and shook his head.

"_Power gained for power's sake is nothing compared to the strength of someone fighting for a worthy cause. Rule Number 2. Too bad your mother never taught you that, Rizo…otherwise, you might have made a good SeeD. Rest in peace…and don't worry."_

Cyrus's face became stone-like in determination as he leapt down the hole into the depths of the deposit. His last thought before reaching the bottom was a simple one:

"_Don't worry, Rizo…Ezerath will be right behind you."_

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Man, oh man...writing this fight scene was tough! I only hope it brought the awesome and made all my glorious readers happy and feeling the epic.**

**And I finally do a Limit Break! Just...don't expect another one. It's hard to come up with new Limit Breaks! Besides, the remaining battles to come are going to be plenty epic without them. I just had to put one in the story somehow, and the final fight with Rizo seemed like the perfect time and place.**

**Thanks to the reviewers from last chapter: ExtremeuGamer, trevorami, Hiiro Mizutani, and the Duelist of Dawn. Thank you all so very much!**

**Sadly, I have to put this story on a bit of a break until after Christmas. But don't worry; I'm just taking some time to finish up my Christmas special, which you'll be able to find in the FF8 section of this wonderful website. Afterwards, I bring the fury, fire, and flames and take this story to its epic conclusion!**

**The furnace at the Exile's Lair runs on reviews. Unless you want me to freeze to death, you know what you must do.**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**

**P.S. RAMBO!!!**


	41. Chapter 41

Once the SeeD trio reached the bottom of the shaft, they found themselves in the middle of a warzone. All around them, SeeDs were fighting fiercely against the Seraphim Society, exchanging steel and spells in a frightening dance of death. Cyrus, despite his desire to help his SeeD brethren win the battle, knew he had to find Commander Leonhart before he found Ezerath. As such, Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen fought their way past the throngs of SeeDs and cultists, slaying any Seraphim members that stood in their way.

Thankfully, the surrounding SeeD members, seeing Cyrus and his team smash through the Seraphim lines, were inspired to continue fighting in spite of their exhaustion. As Cyrus's team continued cutting down Seraphim cultists and high priests with a ferocious determination, the SeeD army began pushing back their opposition alongside them. One by one, the Seraphim Society began to falter as more and more cultists fell to the aggressive counterattack of Balamb Garden's finest.

After driving Defiant Reaper deep into the gut of one final cultist that stood in his way, Cyrus shouted for Kyra and Taizen to follow him past the Seraphim Society's rear guard. The scythe-wielder took one quick glance back at the carnage, and was pleased to see that his SeeD comrades were gaining the advantage against their white-robed counterparts.

"Keep it up, guys," Cyrus muttered as he and his teammates ran deeper into the deposit. As they continued heading further down into the abyss, the sounds of battle were becoming fainter and fainter still. Soon, the sounds were little more than a series of thumping noises, sounding faintly like a beating heart.

"Cyrus, take a look," Taizen said as he pointed ahead. In front of Cyrus and his team was an underground lake surrounded by high stone cliffs. Littered around the lake and surrounding landscape were dozens of Alio Crystals, which were visibly absorbing the magical energies of this location. Cyrus tightened his grip on his scythe as he turned to his teammates.

"Well…if I were a betting man, I'd guess that Ezerath is hanging around somewhere nearby. And knowing the Commander, he's probably down there as well."

"You think the Commander's fighting Ezerath?" Kyra asked as Cyrus shrugged.

"Hard to say. I doubt Ezerath's alone, though. He's probably got his most powerful zealots down there with him as his personal guard. Even the Commander would have trouble fighting them all."

"Then why do we wait here?" Taizen interjected.

Cyrus smiled as he answered, "Direct as always, Tai. But you got a point. Let's…"

Cyrus was interrupted by the sound of a ghastly roar and the sound of magic spells whizzing through the air. The sounds were coming from the direction of the underground lake. Cyrus's smile vanished as he shouted, "Move it!"

The three SeeDs ran as fast as their GF-enhanced bodies could move as they rushed towards the lake. Cyrus, upon reaching the lake, was shocked to see what was making all that noise.

There, scattered all over the ground, were the mangled bodies of dozens of Seraphim cultists. Amongst the corpses stood Commander Leonhart, who had suffered numerous injuries. Working to try and heal him was Counselor Heartilly, using her sorceress magic to close and seal her knight's wounds.

Beyond them, in the far-off distance, stood something that struck fear into the heart of Cyrus Ranto.

It was a massive demonic-looking monster. It vaguely resembled a centaur; however, instead of the body of a horse was a muscular, powerful demon with a pug-like face. And instead of a human torso stood a powerful demon with short wing-like appendages on its back. In the monster's right hand was a giant crystalline sword that glowed with an unearthly blue-white glow.

"W-what the hell is that?" Cyrus stammered as Commander Leonhart turned and answered:

"That…is Ultima Weapon."

"Ultima…Weapon?" Cyrus asked, confused. "You mean, one of the two legendary monsters of ancient Centran lore that governed life and death?"

Counselor Heartilly nodded. "We were fighting the Seraphim Society when the sound of our battle seemed to have woken it up. The Seraphim launched themselves at him, but were all struck down. Squall and I tried to fight it, but well…you see what happened."

Cyrus, finally regaining his composure, carefully walked up to Counselor Heartilly. "Will he be all right?"

The sorceress nodded. "Yes. The Weapon was distracted by one very powerful Seraphim member. It gave me the chance to heal Squall. I just need a few more minutes…"

"You've got it," Cyrus replied as he shouldered his scythe and looked back at Kyra and Taizen. The SeeD team started to slowly approach Ultima Weapon when they were stopped by the Commander shouting, "Hold it!"

Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen turned to Commander Leonhart as he struggled to say, "Don't underestimate that thing. It's strong…stronger than any monster or enemy you've ever fought before."

"I appreciate your concern, Commander," Cyrus replied, disregarding formality, "but with all due respect, shut up and let us do our job."

Kyra snickered as the SeeD trio ran off towards Ultima Weapon, leaving Commander Leonhart in the caring arms of his wife. Counselor Heartilly continued working on healing the fallen gunblade fighter as he rolled his eyes.

"Hmm, he's awfully confident."

"I chalk that up to his instructors and his commander," Counselor Heartilly playfully retorted.

Despite his injuries, Squall Leonhart's face betrayed a thin smile.

* * *

Several minutes of running later, Cyrus and his team were within yards of Ultima Weapon. The onyx-skinned monstrosity was locked in battle with a lone Seraphim cultist. The cultist was dodging Ultima Weapon's sword strikes and magic attacks as he launched his own magical barrage. Kyra was the first to get close enough to ID the cultist…

"Ezerath?! What the hell are you doing?" Kyra asked, rage evident in her voice.

"The interlopers," Ezerath calmly replied as he launched a Thundaga spell into Ultima Weapon's eyes, blinding the legendary monster. As Ultima Weapon struggled to regain its sight, Ezerath turned to face the three SeeDs as all three went for their weapons.

"So, Vascaroon's heir and his comrades have followed me, after all," the scarred cultist stated. "Perhaps your interference is part of the Great Hyne's divine plan. Why else would the goddess permit you to have made it this far?"

"Enough with the Hyne nonsense, Ezerath!" Cyrus shouted as he pointed Defiant Reaper at the Seraphim prophet. "What's going on here? Why are you fighting Ultima Weapon?"

"Why? This monster possesses something I need. And you are going to help me acquire that."

"Like hell!" Cyrus roared as Ultima Weapon finally regained its sight. The legendary monster roared in defiance as it brought its sword down towards the SeeDs and the Seraphim cultist. Taizen, moving on instinct, brought Knight's Valor up to block Ultima Weapon's cleave. Cyrus went to help his struggling teammate hold back the crystalline sword with his scythe as Taizen turned to him and said:

"I know it's hard to take, but Ezerath is going to have to wait. Our immediate concern is Ultima Weapon."

Cyrus growled, but he nodded as he charged up a Firaga spell, casting it on Ultima Weapon's sword hand. The powerful flames forced the monster to back up and recover. Cyrus took the chance to turn to Ezerath, glare at him, and make a slashing motion on his throat with his thumb.

"You're next," Cyrus simply said he began unleashing a barrage of Firaga spells, as Kyra started casting Blizzagas and Taizen casted a multitude of Thundagas. The spells hit the legendary monster hard; however, Ultima Weapon shrugged off the damage and started lurching back as pure white energy gathered at the lower demon's maw. Seconds later, the lower demon unleashed all that pent-up power in single beam of light. It took everything Cyrus had to dodge the attack as the "Light Pillar" shot past him and left the surrounding area completely vaporized. Cyrus and his team had little time to be in shock at the devastation as Ultima Weapon started casting a new spell, causing the ground to rumble.

"It's casting a Quake spell!" Cyrus realized as Kyra used her stocked Triple spells to cast three Float spells in rapid succession. The three SeeDs started levitating as Ezerath simply jumped to avoid the newly-formed fissures in the ground.

"Yield," Ezerath said in a tone just above a whisper as he continued leaping, moving closer to Ultima Weapon. He then extended his palm as immense magical energies condensed in a sphere in front of his hand. Ezerath send the magical sphere rocketing towards Ultima Weapon as he closed his fist and muttered, "Ultima…"

The sphere grew exponentially as green and white energy streams swirled around it. Seconds later, the sphere reached critical mass and exploded with incredible force, managing to actually wound Ultima Weapon across its chest. The legendary monster screeched in pain as it bucked up on its hind legs.

"_Ultima…the Forbidden Spell," _Cyrus angrily thought as Ezerath charged up for another Ultima. Before he could finish the casting, Ultima Weapon landed its front feet hard on the ground and slashed at Ezerath with its blade. The Seraphim Prophet brought his hands up and used the magic in his palms to hold back the attack. In retaliation, Ultima Weapon quickly spun around and crashed its massive, powerful tail into Ezerath, sending him flying into several large stalagmites. The stone spires shattered into dust as Ezerath fell hard.

Cyrus didn't have a moment to appreciate Ultima Weapon's handiwork as his Float spell wore off and he landed back on his feet. Immediately, he began summoning his newest GF as the familiar sphere of dark energy appeared above him. The Dark Messenger, Diablos descended and hovered above his new summoner.

"Well, this is…unpleasant," Diablos muttered as he realized who his opponent was.

"I was hoping to break you in a little easier, but I need your spatial powers for this fight. Think you can manage?" Cyrus asked as Kyra and Taizen began summoning Shiva and Quezacoatl respectively.

Diablos nodded, but before he could reply vocally, Ultima Weapon launched another attack, this time in the form of a Meteor spell. A massive wormhole opened up above the Weapon as large boulders started to rapidly fall from the sky. In response, Diablos opened a series of black holes of his own which absorbed the falling meteors and sent them to another dimension. Once the Meteor spell was finished and Diablos's black holes vanished, the Dark Messenger opened up another black hole right on top of Ultima Weapon's head. Seconds later, the purloined meteors fell with increased velocity on top of the legendary monster, hurting it with its own spell.

Cyrus, impressed with Diablos's clever attack, looked to his comrades and saw that they had finished summoning their GFs. He shouted as the last meteor fell on Ultima Weapon, "Now! Hit it with everything you have!"

Kyra and Taizen nodded as Shiva and Quezacoatl joined Diablos in surrounding Ultima Weapon, each GF gathering energy for their signature attacks. Ultima Weapon stood defiantly as Quezacoatl, Shiva, and Diablos unleashed their most vicious magics on the legendary monster in the form of a Thunder Storm, Diamond Dust, and Dark Messenger. The combined attacks engulfed Ultima Weapon, who cried out in agony as the magics merged and grew even stronger. Seconds later, the three GF attacks exploded with incredible energy, seemingly obliterating Ultima Weapon.

A large dust cloud obscured the SeeDs' sight as Shiva, Quezacoatl, and Diablos continued hovering above where Ultima Weapon had stood. However, before any of them could enjoy their supposed victory, the dust cloud dispersed with a burst of energy as a bloodied but not beaten Ultima Weapon roared and started swinging its sword at his GF attackers. The GFs were quick, but even they could not dodge the blade as all three were struck down and sent to the ground below in a heap. Ultima Weapon continued to roar as the SeeDs ran to check on their fallen Guardian Forces.

"Damn it!" Cyrus cursed as he knelt down beside Diablos. "What kind of monster is this? Even when facing three GFs, it's unstoppable!"

"Precisely," the sullen voice of Ezerath spoke as he finally emerged from the rubble he was thrown into. "He is the ultimate creature…unyielding, unmatchable. But, even his strength is not his own."

Cyrus shot Ezerath a death glare as the Seraphim Prophet extended his hand and began muttering a series of unintelligible chants. Ethereal tendrils moved from Ezerath's palm and embedded themselves into Ultima Weapon. The Weapon recoiled as Ezerath never lost the stoic look on his face. Finally, after a minute of this exchange, the tendrils retracted back to their master, seemingly pulling some magical essence out of Ultima Weapon. Cyrus couldn't tell what it was, but he could tell that whatever it was it was incredibly powerful.

"N…no…what is this?" Diablos managed to croak out as he tried to work his way out of the crater his impact made.

"What is it, Diablos?" Cyrus whispered to the Dark Messenger.

"This power that mortal has drawn from Ultima Weapon…it's a Guardian Force."

"A GF? Are you sure?" Cyrus implored.

"The demon speaks the truth," Ezerath commented. "This Guardian Force is the source of Ultima Weapon's immense strength. Drawing it would have been impossible unless the Weapon was sufficiently weakened. I must thank you for your assistance in that."

"So, that's what your plan was. You picked a fight with Ultima Weapon to draw the GF?"

Ezerath nodded solemnly. "The will of Hyne is to be reborn. To do that, the Seraphim Society needed to reclaim the magical power in the world…both halves of the fallen goddess. This Guardian Force possesses more power than all the others combined…as such, it will serve us well as part of the sacrifice."

In spite of his rage, Cyrus was legitimately worried by what Ezerath said. A GF that was stronger than all the others? Could such a creature exist?

Cyrus decided not to find out as he forgot all about Ultima Weapon and rushed towards Ezerath, Defiant Reaper high in the air and looking for blood. Ezerath, without even flinching, pointed his palm at Cyrus and sent him flying back with a powerful Flare spell. The scythe-wielder rocketed back as he hit the side of a hard stone wall, creating a crater and cracking the rock. Cyrus fell to his knees, completely drained as Ezerath simply shook his head in disgust.

At that moment, Ultima Weapon began to recover from having the GF drawn from away and let loose a bloodthirsty roar. Ezerath turned his attention back to the legendary monster. "So, you still wish to fight? And it seems you still retain much of the strength lent to you by the Guardian Force. However, I have no further use of you. Farewell, fiend…"

With that, Ezerath gathered energy into his hands, preparing to launch another Ultima spell. Just before the energy could reach climax, he was interrupted by the sound of a shotgun blast. The Seraphim Prophet turned and immediately cast a Protect spell on himself to halt the scattershot.

Cyrus, wondering what was going on, turned as he and his teammates saw six A-Rank SeeDs standing in the distance. The scythe-wielder, in spite of his pain, looked over towards Kyra and Taizen as he said with a smile, "The cavalry has arrived."

Destiny's Six, led by the fully-recovered Squall Leonhart, stood tall as he was flanked on either side by Rinoa Heartilly, Zell Dincht, Quistis Trepe, Selphie Tilmitt, and Irvine Kinneas, whose Exeter-model shotgun was still smoking.

"You really have terrible luck with shooting big baddies, don't you?" Headmistress Tilmitt teased the Galbadian headmaster.

"Hey, it's not my fault they keep putting up barriers at the last minute!" Headmaster Kinneas shot back. "And for the record, I missed Matron on purpose!"

"Enough," Commander Leonhart ordered. "We've got work to do. Quit the chatter and let's lend the kids a hand."

Counselor Heartilly and Instructors Dincht and Trepe laughed as Ezerath started to shake his head. Cyrus noticed this as he demanded, "What are you shaking your head about? You do know who they are, don't you?"

"I do…" Ezerath replied, "…the ones who stopped the time sorceress Ultimecia. But I had no idea they were such fools."

"Wha…oh no…" Cyrus said, realizing what Ezerath was getting at. The scythe-wielding SeeD shouted at Commander Leonhart, "Commander! Get Counselor Heartilly out of here!"

Before Commander Leonhart could react, Ezerath disappeared in a flash and reappeared seconds later in the midst of the legendary SeeDs. In an instant, the Seraphim Prophet attacked all six with a powerful burst of energy, sending all of them flying back. Without hesitation, Ezerath quickly rushed Counselor Heartilly and cast both a Sleep and Silence spell on the young sorceress, completely incapacitating her. Commander Leonhart struggled to his feet as his wife was picked up by Ezerath.

"My thanks for bringing the sorceress to me, Squall Leonhart," Ezerath said in a dead tone as he began casting his teleportation spell. "Now I have all I need to complete my Society's holy work. The rebirth will happen, as was told to us by the Great Hyne…"

"RINOA!" Commander Leonhart roared as he rushed the Seraphim Prophet with murder on his mind. Before he could bring his gunblade down and cleave Ezerath, he and Counselor Heartilly vanished into thin air. The only indication of where they were heading was a slight echo behind the still-recovering Ultima Weapon…

"Damn it. Rinoa!" the SeeD commander shouted as he started running directly towards the legendary monster. Before he could engage in battle with Ultima Weapon, he was stopped by Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen blocking his path.

"Let me go! That's an order!"

"Let you go? I have every intention to!" Cyrus retorted. "But I'm not letting you fight Ultima Weapon. Leave him to us."

"We will hold off the Weapon while you rescue the Counselor," Taizen added.

"Taizen's right, Squall," Quistis stated as she and the rest of Destiny's Six ran up to join in on the conversation. "We can take care of this. Go and find Rinoa."

"Damn straight!" Zell chimed in. "You're her knight, right? That's your job. Kicking the shit out of this big bastard's ours!"

"With all due respect, Commander, why are you still here?" Kyra demanded. "Your wife's in trouble. Go find her and kick that bastard Ezerath's ass!"

Commander Leonhart looked at the faces of his friends and his Garden's students and let slip a small smile. He said nothing as he nodded and ran. Ultima Weapon, now fully recovered, tried to stop the rushing gunblade-swordsman with a slash from its own blade, but was halted by a Flare spell exploding in its face.

"Hey, Ultima!" Cyrus shouted as Commander Leonhart ran past the monster and headed deeper into the deposit. "Weren't you listening? The Commander has more important things to worry about than you."

"But don't worry," Kyra added, her Phoenix Tears hanging loosely in her hands. "We're still here, and we have every intention of keeping you company until we figure out how best to kill you!"

Taizen and the others were taken aback by the confidence of Cyrus and Kyra, but prepared themselves for battle nonetheless. Diablos, Shiva, and Quezacoatl, who had recovered from Ultima Weapon's earlier counterattack, hovered above the SeeDs as Cyrus shouldered his scythe. Without any hesitation, the scythe-wielder made the first move as he ran headlong towards the towering monstrosity, followed closely behind by Kyra, Taizen, their GFs, and the remaining legendary SeeDs.

"_No obstacle, no enemy will stop me from finishing this fight," _Cyrus told himself as he continued closing the gap between himself and Ultima Weapon…

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**All right, you guys can cancel the angry mob with the torches and pitchforks. The Exile's back and he's finally updated!**

**There's a really good explanation for why this took so long. For starters, it's Ultima freakin' Weapon. The last thing I want to do is make an Ultima Weapon fight anything less than epic. Second, it's one of my longest chapters to date. And third...well, I was just being a little lazy. Frigid cold weather will do that to even the best Exile.**

**But I am back, and looking forward to finishing this story. Thanks to all the reviewers from this story and my specials:**

**The Duelist of Dawn, Hiiro Mizutani, trevorami, ExtremeuGamer, BestinInfluence, Ally Todd, butcherthegirl, Onar, and my newest reviewer B-Boy Philosophy! And as a side note to B-Boy, I appreciate all the criticism and hope that I don't suffer from too many cliches. I do my best to bring the awesome and I do appreciate the feedback.**

**Currently, there's a three way tie on my poll between Final Fantasy 8, 9, and 10. If you haven't voted, do so now! Just go to my profile page and let me know what universe you want me to insert myself in!**

**The Exile may not be able to "Die Dead Enough," but I know you guys can review fast and hard enough. So go ahead and prove me right! **

**(This joke brought to you by Megadeth's song "Die Dead Enough.")**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	42. Chapter 42

Rinoa Heartilly finally awoke from her spell-induced slumber to find herself in an unfamiliar location: a circular stone room illuminated by the light of dozens of yellow crystals. In the center of the room was a large pit that seemed to have no bottom. Standing at an ancient altar looking over the abyss was the man who kidnapped her…

"Ezerath," Rinoa said with a slight snarl as her body started to glow. Ezerath, sensing the young sorceress's power rising, turned to face his captive.

"I see my spells have worn off. This is unpleasant, but there is nothing you can do that will halt the ritual…"

"So you think," Rinoa interrupted as a pair of pure white wings sprouted from the back of her blue wool duster, allowing her to take flight. Her eyes started to flash as she started launching wave after wave of powerful magic at the Seraphim Prophet. Ezerath, in response, used the magic of the Alio Crystals to teleport out of the way and retaliate with spells of his own.

Rinoa, seeing the incoming assault, used a pair of Flare spells before unleashing four simultaneous Thundaga spells all around Ezerath. With nowhere to run, Ezerath felt the full force of the spells as they exploded in a vicious electrical maelstrom.

Once the Thundagas subsided, Rinoa was shocked to see Ezerath still standing on his own feet, albeit in a completely tattered robe stained in blood. Without saying a word, the Seraphim Prophet cast a healing spell that not only closed his wounds but repaired his robe. Once Ezerath finished his spell, he looked up at the winged sorceress and plainly said:

"Edea, Adel, Ultimecia…three of Hyne's most powerful daughters. And you wield all their strength. It is quite impressive to behold. However, even with all that power, you will submit to the goddess's desire. I am merely the tool that completes the will of the Great Hyne."

As he finished, Ezerath unleashed another magical assault, this time in the form of two simultaneous Firaga spells. Rinoa, seeing the danger, used her angelic wings to dodge the incoming inferno as she prepared to counter with a series of Blizzagas.

However, as she searched for her target, Rinoa was startled to find that Ezerath had vanished. She looked feverishly left and right for her target when she felt a dark magic rising from behind her. Without hesitating, she turned to face a hovering Ezerath and mercilessly cast an overpowered Blizzaga at the cultist.

The ice spell surrounded Ezerath, seemingly freezing him to his very core. But, to Rinoa's complete astonishment, the energy surrounding Ezerath exploded, freeing him from the ice and producing a blinding yellow light. Rinoa looked away for a second to save her sight, which gave Ezerath the opening he needed. In an instant, the Seraphim Prophet grabbed the sorceress and started muttering a series of chants.

As Ezerath continued to whisper, Rinoa felt something strange. To the young sorceress, it felt like the ancient power within her…no, her very life force was being drained by the white robed zealot who had his hand wrapped around her neck. Rinoa could feel her strength give way as she started to lose consciousness once again…

"Pity," Ezerath said as he finished drawing the power from Rinoa Heartilly. He gently descended to the ground as he lightly laid the sorceress's body on the ground next to the altar. "It is a shame that I had to strip you of your power by force, but the Great Hyne needs both her halves to rise again. Be grateful that I spared your life and allowed you to bear witness to the resurrection…"

Before Ezerath could finish vocalizing his thought, he faintly heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Ezerath shook his head in disappointment as he released the stolen sorceress's power into the abyss below. Despite being a disciple of Hyne herself, Ezerath knew that even he could not command the power of the sorceress himself.

"Soon, my goddess…" Ezerath muttered as the footstep became louder. "Soon, I will give you back your other half. Your will is my desire and command…but allow me a little more time as I punish those who stand against you."

With that, Ezerath turned towards the room's entrance. The Seraphim Prophet allowed the power of the Alio Crystals to course through his veins as he awaiting his foe…

* * *

Cyrus drove Defiant Reaper's as deep as he could into Ultima Weapon's front right leg as Taizen followed suit, digging Knight's Valor into the left. Ultima Weapon roared in pain as he attempted to bring his sword down in retaliation. Kyra and Shiva, recognizing the danger, grabbed Cyrus and Taizen respectively and got them out of harm's way, allowing Quezacoatl and Diablos to unleash their own magical assaults on the legendary monster. The combined electrical and gravity magics were enough to stun Ultima Weapon, giving Instructor Dincht, Instructor Trepe, Headmaster Kinneas, and Headmistress Tilmitt an opening.

"All right, gang. Let's not let the rookies outshine us!" Irvine shouted as he loaded his Exeter with Demolition Ammo, which he proceeded to shoot at Ultima Weapon with extreme prejudice. The powerful energy shells struck Ultima Weapon in the chest, detonating in a series of violent explosions. However, thanks to the Weapon's tough hide, it managed to weather the storm.

The GFs vanished as Irvine shouted, "Damn! That thing's skin's like iron! At this rate, we'll never bring that bastard down."

Cyrus, hearing Irvine's rant, reached into his coat for some of his Meltdown vials, but Kyra stopped him before he could pull them out.

"Just wait," Kyra said as she pointed towards Instructor Dincht, who was smiling brightly. "No problem, Irvine! Leave it to me!"

With that, Zell began to crouch down as he started summoning a Guardian Force. Cyrus looked on as he saw something strange manifest in front of Ultima Weapon:

Train tracks.

Cyrus, confused, simply watched as Instructor Dincht shouted, "Let's go, Doomtrain! Runaway Train!"

Zell jumped away from the tracks as the sound of a train whistle blew in the distance. Cyrus looked on in amazement as a light in the distance grew larger, revealing the GF Doomtrain. It was red and orange in color and covered in jagged spikes from its engine to its caboose, and its engine bore a twisted, demonic face that roared as it rolled down the tracks, rushing headlong into the Ultima Weapon. Doomtrain collided with the legendary monster, running completely through him before vanishing.

"What the hell?" Cyrus asked. "That GF didn't do any damage at all! All it did was pass through him. What was the point?"

"Look again," Kyra simply commanded as Cyrus took another look at Ultima Weapon. This time, the scythe wielder saw what Doomtrain had accomplished. Ultima Weapon's hide was glowing as if it had been attacked by a Meltdown spell. In addition, Ultima Weapon was disoriented from the ghastly locomotive possessing it temporarily.

Cyrus nodded, as Zell shouted, "Now! Let 'em have it!"

All seven SeeDs, without hesitating, rushed the legendary monster, led by Kinneas's shotgun barrage. Ultima Weapon endured the attack and regained its senses as its lower demon charged up for another Light Pillar. Cyrus, sensing the danger, led his team right as Zell took the others left. The Light Pillar was released, but thanks to the SeeDs' quick-thinking it missed completely.

Zell was the first to reach Ultima Weapon, and he wasted little time in delivering a series of brutal punches and kicks to the lower demon's face. Thanks to Doomtrain, Zell was able to actually make an impact as the lower demon cried out in pain. It started to charge for another Light Pillar, but it was stopped by Kyra who had lunged at the lower demon and drove her Phoenix Tears in the monster's eyes.

Ultima Weapon, sensing the agony of its lower half, ferociously tried to bring its sword down on the two fighters. However, it was halted as a chain whip wrapped around its wrist, halting the monster's cleave. The chain whip Save the Queen, wielded by Quistis Trepe, held the arm in place long enough for Taizen to leap into the air and bring Knight's Valor down on Ultima Weapon's wrist, cleaving the weaken monster's hand from its arm. Ultima Weapon screeched in pain as black blood started to pour from his severed limb.

"Woo-hoo!" Selphie exclaimed. "Right on! Let's finish it off! Come on out, Pandemona!"

A fierce cyclone appeared behind Selphie. Once it dispersed, it revealed a tall purple humanoid with pupil-less eyes and a large sac on its back. The sac was attached to some tube-like limb that rested on the Guardian Force's right shoulder.

"Tornado Zone!" Selphie shouted as Pandemona nodded and started to inhale a large quantity of air through its tube limb, attempting to swallow Ultima Weapon. However, the monster was far too large to absorb as Pandemona's sac reached its limit.

"Oh, poop! That was a waste of time," Selphie said dejected as Ultima Weapon, using its one good arm, began to cast an Ultima spell, looking to obliterate its enemies.

Cyrus, realizing that he didn't have any more time, turned to Selphie and shouted, "Headmistress! Have Pandemona use its stored-up air on me! Get me up towards the Weapon's head!"

Selphie looked confused for a second before finally nodding and pointing Cyrus out to Pandemona with her nunchaku Strange Vision. Pandemona, understanding its summoner's intent, released its stored up wind right at the feet of Cyrus, propelling the scythe-wielding SeeD high into the air. Cyrus flew up higher and higher until he reached the ceiling of the deep sea deposit, where he turned, planted his feet on the roof, and pushed himself off and headlong towards Ultima Weapon.

Seconds later, right before the monster could finish its spell, Ultima Weapon felt a cold steel blade pierce its throat as Cyrus drove Defiant Reaper into its victim, cutting through and decapitating the legendary monster. Cyrus slid down the monster's back as Ultima Weapon's head fell to the ground. Once the scythe wielder landed back on the ground, Ultima Weapon's head and its body collapsed, completely lifeless. Before Cyrus could admire his handiwork, Ultima Weapon's body vanished in a flash of white light, leaving behind no trace of the legendary monster.

All seven SeeDs huddled together to sort out what had happened. Quistis, with a slight smile on her face, turned to Cyrus and said, "Well done. You've gotten a lot stronger, Cyrus."

"Thanks. Good to see Leviathan's got you back on your feet again, Instructor," Cyrus replied with his trademark smirk.

Before Quistis could reply, all seven SeeDs turned to see a large mob of Seraphim cultists approaching. Many of them had the scars of battle, but they all regarding the mercenaries in front of them with contempt and hidden rage.

"Fuck me," Cyrus said as he, his team, and the others readied themselves for a battle. They were about ready to leapt into the fray when they were interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice…

"Hey, jackasses! Move outta the way for Seifer and his posse!" the blonde-haired gunblader shouted as he cut a path through the Seraphim mob and joined the seven SeeDs.

"Sir Almasy…" Cyrus muttered before he walked up to the swordsman and asked, "What took you so long?"

"Hey, it's not easy finding this place. Appreciate you letting me know where the party was, though," Seifer said with a smirk as wide as Cyrus's.

"Seifer…what the hell are you doing here?" Quistis asked, her hands on her hips.

"Instructor, please! Who the hell do you think I am? I wasn't about to let you, Messenger Girl, Metrosexual Cowboy, and Chicken-Wuss have all the glory!"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Zell roared as Raijin shook his head in disbelief.

"He still gettin' worked up about that? Zell's gotta learn to let it go already, ya know?"

"PATHETIC," Fujin stated as she turned her attention back to the Seraphim Society. "ENEMY APPROACHING!"

Seifer dropped the smirk as he held Hyperion in front of him, ready for a brawl. "At any rate, we're here to help. Where's Squall?"

"He ran after Ezerath. The creep kidnapped Rinoa," Irvine answered.

"Well, that makes things a little less fun," Seifer said with a sigh as he turned to Cyrus. "Did you beat that prick?"

Cyrus nodded as Seifer smiled approvingly. "Good, then I leave Ezerath to you and your posse. The orphanage gang, my posse, and me will entertain these jackasses."

"Hold on a minute! Who died and made you Commander?" Zell demanded.

"Shut the hell up, Zell!" Seifer snapped. "These kids have traveled across the goddamned world just to finish what they started. And I happen to think that their instructors and superiors should have enough faith in them to let them handle their business. Got a problem with that?"

Zell was fuming, but said nothing as Seifer turned back to Cyrus. "You all right with that?"

"Leave it to us," Cyrus replied as he turned to Kyra and Taizen. With nothing more than a nod, the three SeeDs left the legendary fighters and the Seraphim mob behind as they ran in the direction Commander Leonhart had taken earlier.

Quistis, who watched as her student and his team vanished into the darkness of the deep sea deposit, turned to Seifer as she readied Save the Queen. "Since when do you have faith in anybody but yourself?"

Seifer chuckled as he answered, "It's been seven years, Quis. Even someone as awesome as I am can change in that amount of time."

"I suppose you're right…for once," Quistis replied as she and Seifer made the first advance, followed closely behind by the others. As the two factions clashed steel and magic, Cyrus and his team continued following the tunnel towards their final battle.

"_Hold on, Commander," _Cyrus said internally, _"we're on our way."_

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Wow, I've really gotten slow in my updates. I guess part of the reason for that is that I want to make sure the remaining chapters bring as much epic as humanly possible. But believe me when I say that I WILL finish this story, and I will make sure it's the kind of awesome that only the Exile can bring!**

**Now, many of you (Ally Todd in particular) have been wondering why I used Ultima Weapon and not Omega Weapon. The reason is because I felt that Ultima, given the right prep, was way too easy and Omega was way too hard. Not only that, but what the hell do you get for beating Omega Weapon other than some bullcrap "Proof of Omega?" NOTHING! At least you get the most powerful GF from Ultima. So I redesigned Ultima to be a much bigger badass and said to hell with Omega. Hope that answers any and all questions on that particular subject!**

**Thanks once again to all my reviewers: BestInInfluence, Ally Todd (sorry for calling you out bro, got nothing but appreciation for ya), B-Boy Philosophy, cloudfightback, ExtremeuGamer, Hiiro Mizutani, and the Duelist of Dawn. Thanks for putting up with me, guys!**

**We're on the road to 200 reviews, so help me get there! There's great rewards for those who help out...okay, so they're digital rewards that don't really exist, but they're there for the taking!**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	43. Chapter 43

Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen kept running down the tunnel, deeper into the deep sea deposit for what seemed like an eternity. Along the way, they ran across the massacred bodies of various monsters, all looking like they had been cut down by Commander Leonhart's Revolver gunblade.

"Looks like we're on the right track," Cyrus muttered as he kept running. Eventually, he spotted a light at the end of the tunnel. Though it was faint, he could hear the sound of magic spells being cast in the distance.

"Cyrus! The Commander!" Kyra exclaimed as she too heard the sounds of battle.

Cyrus nodded before calmly stating, "Let's go."

All three SeeDs increased their pace as they headed for the light. After several minutes of running, the trio finally reached their destination.

There, standing near a stone altar overlooking a seemingly bottomless pit, was Ezerath, who had his right hand out in front of him, just waiting to unleash another spell. In between Cyrus's team and the Seraphim Prophet was Squall Leonhart, who was panting heavily and holding his gunblade with sheer determination.

"Commander!" Cyrus shouted as he, Kyra, and Taizen ran to join their leader. The three SeeDs formed a circle around Squall as Cyrus stood between him and Ezerath, Defiant Reaper poised and ready to strike.

"What…are you doing here?" Squall quietly asked. "Ultima Weapon…"

"It's dead," Taizen explained. "The others remained behind to hold off Seraphim reinforcements. We were sent to assist you."

"Commander, where's Counselor Heartilly?" Kyra asked as Squall pointed at the lifeless body lying next to the altar. Kyra gasped as she asked, "Is…is she?"

"No," Ezerath answered as he walked down to face his enemies on level ground. "She is…sleeping. A side effect of drawing her power from her."

"Drawing her power? You mean…"

Ezerath nodded. "I have drawn the power of the sorceress from her and cast it into the abyss. It waits for the other half to bring about the goddess's resurrection. All that has occurred and has yet to come moves according to the will of the Great Hyne. You all will…"

Ezerath's monologue was interrupted when Cyrus, in a fit of rage, rushed the Seraphim Prophet and attempted to drive Defiant Reaper's blade down on top of his head. Ezerath barely managed to escape the attack and the subsequent slash from the side as he leapt back up towards the altar. Cyrus, still seething, shouldered Defiant Reaper as he looked up at Ezerath and said:

"Are you still spouting that crap? What the hell's your problem?! You've hurt countless numbers of people, sent many others to their deaths, and you have the gall to justify your sins by claiming Hyne demands it? It's completely moronic!"

"I beg your pardon?" Ezerath retorted.

"You heard me. All of your actions up to this point have been because Hyne's been telling you what to do...or so you believe. What about you? Is this really what you want? To kill, main, and steal just because some bitch deity wants to live again?"

"What I want is of no consequence. What I desire is meaningless. All that matters is the will of the goddess," Ezerath explained as an underlying anger rose within him. "It is becoming vexing for me to repeat myself, reaper."

"'It is becoming vexing,' yeah, yeah, yeah," Cyrus mocked. "Let me tell you something: I became a SeeD because I want to protect what I hold dear. And one of those things is the freedom to choose one's own fate. Quite frankly, I don't think there are a lot of people who want Hyne back for a second reign. I know for a fact I don't."

Cyrus then dropped into his battle stance as Kyra and Taizen did the same, backing up their captain. "I won't stand by and let some whack-job in a bathrobe decide my fate for me. No matter what you throw my way, I'll never stop fighting; never stop moving forward until I finish this fight. THAT'S Rule Number 1, Ezerath."

Ezerath shook his head as he started to hover off the ground. "I see. You fight for your freedom from the machinations of the heavens, like Vascaroon before you. How disgusting…this is how you repay your creator?"

The Seraphim Prophet's body started to glow like the Alio Crystals themselves as his voice started to echo off the stone walls. "Very well. If it is your desire to throw your lives away defying destiny, then I will be the one who takes them. See firsthand the power of the Great Hyne!"

"Screw you!" Cyrus retorted as he again rushed headlong towards Ezerath, with murder on his mind. Ezerath, as calm as ever, raised his right palm and cast a spell that trapped the scythe wielder in a ring of fire. Cyrus, in response, swung Defiant Reaper with incredible speed, creating enough wind to quell the inferno. Before Cyrus could follow up, Ezerath launched himself at the SeeD, driving his palm into Cyrus and unleashing a close-range Flare spell, which sent Cyrus flying into the stone wall. Cyrus's body cratered into the cavern as Ezerath turned his attention to Kyra and Taizen.

"Son of a bitch!" Kyra shouted as she lunged at Ezerath, slashing wildly with her Phoenix Tears. Ezerath utilized his magic-enhanced speed to dodge Kyra's slashes and blows. However, he stopped as he realized that Taizen had inconspicuously stepped behind him and was bringing Knight's Valor down right on top of him. In response, the Seraphim Prophet cast a Tornado spell at his feet, creating a powerful barrier of wind between himself and his would-be killers. The swirling gale grabbed Kyra and Taizen and spun them around like rag dolls before it subsided, leaving the two disoriented on the ground.

"Pitiful," Ezerath muttered as he walked up to a fallen Kyra. His eyes remained devoid of emotion as he conjured up a jagged blade in his hand made entirely of lightning magic. The Seraphim prophet telekinetically brought the blade above his head as he quietly said, "Hyne has judged you, heretic…and this is the blade of her judgment. Raiken…"

"Get away from her!" Cyrus roared as he threw himself into Ezerath, knocking the white-robed zealot away from Kyra and onto the ground. Both the SeeD and the Seraphim Prophet regained their footing as Ezerath's Raiken still hovered above him, waiting to be unleashed.

Before he could attack, however, Ezerath sensed a new threat approaching him from the left. Sure enough, it was a recovered Squall Leonhart, whose Revolver gunblade had undergone a metamorphosis, transforming into the crystalline weapon called the Lionhart. Squall was running directly at the cultist, forcing Ezerath to use Raiken to block the SeeD Commander's gunblade.

"Have you not learned?" Ezerath muttered as he kept blocking Squall's Lionheart. "Such a feeble attack will not strike me down."

Squall, struggling to break past Raiken, betrayed a small smile. "It wasn't supposed to…"

Ezerath looked confused until the answer literally struck him…in the form of Defiant Reaper slashing his torso from his right hip to his left shoulder. In a knee-jerk response, Ezerath backed off as he saw Cyrus standing with his scythe in the air, blood dripping from its blade.

"So, you can bleed," Cyrus said as he dropped back into his battle stance. "Good. Didn't want to think this was a futile fight."

Ezerath scoffed as he started to use his magical power to close his wound. Seeing this, Cyrus shouted, "Oh, no you don't! Kyra, Taizen…let him have it!"

Before Ezerath could even blink, he felt three simultaneous slashes to his gut and back. A second later, Kyra and Taizen stood on either side of him, both their weapons bloody. While Ezerath had been distracted by Squall and Cyrus, Kyra had cast Haste spells on herself and Taizen, giving the two the speed to strike Ezerath. The Seraphim Prophet, now bleeding from several wounds, closed his eyes as electricity surrounded him, forcing Kyra and Taizen to back off and regroup with Cyrus and Squall. The electrical energy coalesced into five more Raiken blades, all of which circled around Ezerath like a halo.

"Despair, warriors. Lightning Blade Storm!"

Ezerath pointed his palms at the SeeDs as the six magical blades lunged at the SeeDs. Squall and Taizen stepped out to meet the blades with their own swords, but it was for naught as the Raiken blades struck with the speed of lightning, wounding all four SeeDs in a flurry of steel and electricity. Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen were on their knees due to the injuries they had suffered. Only Squall remained standing as his chest trickled blood.

Ezerath shook his head as his Raiken blades vanished in six flashes of lightning. "Interesting. You truly are the finest swordsman in the world, Commander. There are few who can survive that spell, and even fewer who could remain standing."

Squall said nothing as he looked back at his soldiers. To his surprise, Cyrus and his team were slowly but surely getting back on their feet. All three were downing powerful potions to heal themselves as they struggled to settle back into their respective battle stances.

"You don't know when to quit, do you Ranto?" Squall asked the scythe wielder.

Cyrus shook his head as he stared down the SeeD Commander with a fierce glare. "Only…"

Before Cyrus could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a hovering Ezerath launching a barrage of Holy-like spells down from above. Cyrus, without a moment's hesitation, cast a Reflect spell on himself as he leapt up and took the spells head-on. Not only did he succeed in protecting the others, Cyrus's Reflect also sent the spell flying back at Ezerath, who had to dodge his own magical barrage. The Holy-type spells instead hit the top of the cavern, knocking loose several stalactites and sending them crashing to the floor all around the SeeDs.

Cyrus landed back on his feet as Ezerath hovered above the central pit. The Seraphim Prophet's body continued to glow that unnatural yellow hue as Squall stepped closer to Ezerath, his own energy rising.

"Looks like I don't have a choice," Squall quietly muttered as his energy continued to build.

Cyrus, recognizing the type of energy that the gunblade specialist was emitting, immediately asked, "Commander, are you…?"

Squall nodded. "It's been a long time since he's been summoned. Let's hope he's not out of practice…"

Squall's energy reached a crescendo as he let it all out at once by shouting, "I summon you…Griever!"

The energy surrounding Squall rose above the SeeD Commander as the ground beneath him glowed pure white. Then, in an instant, a black lion-like creature emerged from the ground behind Squall. It towered above its summoner as it flapped its white-feathered wings to gain altitude. This Guardian Force had the face of a lion but limbs like a man. Out of its fur at its elbows, shoulders, and knees were large, sharp-looking blades of blood red fur, making this GF look like the offspring of heaven and hell.

"Holy shit," Cyrus whispered in awe as he and his teammates looked on. All three had only heard rumors and speculations about the Commander's GF, the one created from Squall Leonhart's own mind by Ultimecia. The GF was created by the time sorceress to not only sap the fighting spirit of Destiny's Six, but also to be the strongest Guardian Force in existence…that was the Shadow of Fate, Griever. Until today, no SeeD other than Destiny's Six had ever seen Griever summoned, much less engage in battle.

Squall, despite having summoned such a creature, never lost his composure. But the same could be said for Ezerath as well as his energy continued to rise.

"Griever…I see you managed to wrest him away from Ultimecia before Time Compression ended. And it would seem that I am no match for such a monster on my own. However…"

Ezerath's voice again echoed as his right hand rose up above his head. "…I am never alone. No, not as long as the grace of the Great Hyne stays with me. And in case you had forgotten, I too have a Guardian Force at my beck and call. Permit me to show you…ultimate power…"

Much like Squall's summoning, the energy swirling around Ezerath expanded until it had reached its limits. Squall, Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen looked frantically for the Seraphim Prophet's GF when Cyrus noticed that Ezerath had vanished into thin air. Before Cyrus could say anything, he felt a strange sensation in his mind. To the scythe-wielder, it almost looked like the walls were alive…

"What...is this?" Cyrus managed to blurt out before everything around him began to fade to black. Cyrus tried to call out to his friends and his commander, but no sounds came from his mouth. The scythe wielding SeeD felt his consciousness slipping from him as he, his fellow SeeDs, and the cavern that had been their battlefield slipped into a dark void…

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Oh, no he didn't!**

**Oh, but I did! Griever makes his grand entrance! And I am so looking forward to showing off his badass capabilities against Ezerath's Guardian Force...but what Guardian Force could it be? DON'T SPOIL IT FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T PLAYED THE GAME!**

**Actually, why would anyone be reading this if they hadn't played the game? Hmm, an interesting question...**

**At any rate, thanks to my loyal reviewers trevorami, butcherthegirl (welcome to the party!), Onar, ExtremeuGamer, Hiiro Mizutani, Ally Todd, B-Boy Philosophy, and the Duelist of Dawn. Thanks to your efforts, we're on the cusp of 200 reviews, and I can't thank you all enough.**

**This calls for a SEXY PARTY! If you want an invite, write a review and join the Legion of Awesome!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	44. Chapter 44

Cyrus awoke to find himself in a foreign land.

As the SeeD got to his feet and regained a hold of Defiant Reaper, he scanned his new surroundings. The sky above him was as black as starless midnight save for streams of psychedelic colors flowing all around him like an aurora. Cyrus fought to get his bearing in this disorienting environment as his gaze briefly lowered to the ground he was standing on…or the lack thereof.

Instead of solid ground, Cyrus found himself standing on a transparent platform outlined by a series of magical runes, similar to the ones he'd seen the Seraphim Society use in the past. Unlike the previous symbols, however, these looked far more ancient, more intricate. On top of that, they pulsed with an energy stronger than any magic he'd ever felt before…

"Cyrus!" a familiar voice shouted in the distance. The scythe-wielder, quickly shaking off his vertigo, instantly started running in the direction of the voice. After a quick sprint, he found his teammates standing alone, searching feverishly for any clues as to where they were.

"Cyrus, you made it!" Kyra exclaimed as Cyrus ran up to join his friends. He nodded once to Kyra before he asked, "Wait, where's the Commander?"

Taizen shook his head. "Unknown. When we woke up, both you and the Commander were nowhere to be found. We were lucky that you were relatively close by, but Kyra and I haven't had the same fortune locating the Commander or Ezerath."

"If you can call that 'fortune,'" Kyra quipped. "So, what now, hotshot?"

Cyrus's grip on his scythe tightened as he said, "We still have a job to do. Only problem is…"

Cyrus was interrupted by the sound of an explosion in the distance. The three SeeDs turned towards the sound as they saw a gigantic white ball of magic explode in the distance. They couldn't determine what cast the spell or what the target was, but it was the only thing they had to go on.

"Well, waiting here's not getting anything done," Cyrus commented as he shouldered Defiant Reaper. "Let's move!"

Kyra and Taizen nodded as they followed their captain towards the source of the explosion. The trio ran for several minutes across the alien landscape before finding the magical attack's origin.

There, standing in front of the SeeDs was Squall Leonhart, gripping his Lionheart with fervent determination as Griever flew above with a snarl on its face. Both the SeeD Commander and the Guardian Force looked exhausted as they nevertheless stood steadfast.

A dozen yards further away, a gigantic creature hovered just a few feet above the ground. It was a massive ivory-colored construct with large white wings on either side. On top of the creature was a large blue dome that pulsed with arcane energy. The creature had two faces: one attached to the dome that looked like a vicious bird of prey, and another, more feminine face that rested on an equally feminine body embedded in a jagged pillar on the creature's underside.

It was majestic, it was completely foreign…and it was frightening to behold.

"Holy hell…what is that?" Cyrus blurted as his grip on Defiant Reaper tightened. Squall, hearing that, turned to see the three SeeDs standing behind him.

Before he could say anything, the SeeD Commander was interrupted by a familiar, preaching voice echoing from the distance. There, appearing in a flash of light between the SeeDs and the strange creature, was Ezerath. His white robe was changed into a long, flowing, golden robe and his eyes were white and devoid of emotion. His voice had a very unsettling tone as he spoke:

"Heathens, heretics…here is the harbinger of your destruction. This is the true Guardian Force, and the Great Hyne's other half. Behold…the Eternal Avatar, Eden. And we stand in Eden's domain. Look upon its magnificence and repent."

Cyrus, finally shaking off his shock, walked out in front of Squall and glared at Ezerath. "Repent? What exactly do I have to beg forgiveness for?"

"What?"

"My conscious is clear, you whack-job. Every step I've taken to get to this point…every battle I've had to fight, I've done it all without any particular regrets. You think some all-powerful GF's going to make me second-guess myself? You obviously don't have any idea who the hell you're dealing with!"

If he was feeling any rage, Ezerath's face didn't show it. Cyrus, meanwhile, started focusing his energy as his teammates did the same thing. Squall and Griever looked on as Cyrus continued to talk.

"You know, we do share one thing in common, Ezerath. After all, you're not the only one who answers to a higher calling."

"That's correct," Taizen added. "While we don't swear servitude to Hyne, we are followers of a code, one that we uphold with equal fervor."

"You see, we're SeeDs," Kyra explained. "Bound by honor and pride, trained to tackle any opposition, and prepared to stand against that which threatens humanity and the world."

The three SeeDs' energies reached their respective crescendos as the Phoenix, Alexander, and Bahamut appeared by their summoners. Cyrus stood beside the Dragon King as he spoke with conviction, "You want us all to suffer all for the sake of a dead goddess? Well, I for one am not going to allow that to happen. Eden may be the ultimate GF, but my friends, my commander, our GFs, and I stand ready to fight anyway."

"Hmm," Squall finally muttered as he walked up beside Cyrus. His face betrayed a wire-thin smile as he held Lionheart out in front of him towards Ezerath. "Looks like you failed to intimidate my students. And it'd look bad for me to show any fear myself. So, I hope you're ready for a battle."

Ezerath shook his head as he raised his arms. Powerful, ancient magic surrounded him as the runes on the ground began to pulse.

"You have no fear…no regrets. It seems that my words have fallen on your deaf ears, then. If so, then I see no other alternative. I will bring about your ruin and make you feel true terror. Come, SeeDs…stand against the will of Hyne if you dare."

As Ezerath finished speaking, dozens of white-robed figures emerged from the floor, all wielding Raiken blades. However, instead of being living Seraphim cultists, the white-robed army was an army of specters; shapeless wraiths conjured by the Seraphim Prophet. Ezerath surrounded himself with these wraiths as they stood between the SeeDs and Eden.

In spite of Ezerath's newly risen army of ghosts, Cyrus stood his ground as he dropped into his battle stance. He took a quick glance back at his teammates before looking at Bahamut and nodding ever so slightly.

That nod was all Kyra, Taizen, and the three legendary GFs needed.

In an instant, Cyrus and his teammates lunged into the wraith army, bringing their weapons down on the ghostly soldiers. Squall, not wasting any time, joined his SeeDs as he brought Lionheart down on a trio of wraiths. The Guardian Forces leapt into battle as well, bringing their rage down on the wraiths as they set their sights on the Eternal Avatar in the distance.

The clashing of steel blades echoed throughout Eden's dimension as Cyrus, Kyra, Taizen, and Squall met the wraiths in combat. Despite being specters, the Seraphim wraiths were not immortal as ghosts of legend, as they fell one after another due to the SeeDs' assault. However, it was still a brutal fight, as the Seraphim wraiths took their shots and gave plenty in return, using their mystical Raiken blades to slash and cut their enemies. In spite of mounting injuries, four mercenaries continued pressing through the wraiths' ranks, inching closer and closer to Ezerath.

The Guardian Forces, meanwhile, assaulted any wraiths from the air with powerful energy attacks as they charged towards Eden (save for Alexander, who remained behind and acted as a one-GF artillery brigade). Eden, who hadn't moved an inch, responded to the threat by calling forth pillars of light similar to the ones Ultima Weapon had used…only instead of conjuring and shooting them off one at a time, Eden conjured up dozens at once and attacked with them all at once. The sky above the pocket dimension was illuminated in ghastly light as Griever, Bahamut, and Phoenix did their best to avoid the assault as Alexander countered with Holy Judgment. The holy streams collided with the light pillars, resulting in a massive overhead explosion. Eden continued to fire light pillars at its would-be attackers as the GFs continued to push forward.

Cyrus heard the explosion, but paid little attention to it as he continued to swing Defiant Reaper into any wraith that stood between him and the Seraphim Prophet. He could feel a blade slice into his back as he turned and brought his scythe down on the attacking wraith, shattering its Raiken blade and ending its ethereal existence. Without a second thought, he turned and slashed at two more wraiths and caught a glimpse of his target.

"I'm coming for you, you bastard!" Cyrus roared as he rushed towards Ezerath. Several more Seraphim wraiths fell to Defiant Reaper as Cyrus finally reached Ezerath with murder on his mind. Ezerath, seeing the scythe-wielding SeeD lunging at him, dodged Cyrus's first slash by sidestepping before raising his hand and launching a compact Holy sphere at him. Cyrus, sensing the danger, hastily cast a Firaga to intercept Ezerath's spell. The two spells collided with incredible force, obscuring Cyrus's line of vision with smoke. Then, in a matter of seconds, Ezerath emerged from the smoke and literally flew into Cyrus, grabbing the SeeDs' throat like a vise. The Seraphim Prophet then tossed Cyrus down to the ground and summoned several small Flare-like orbs around him. Still hovering over his opponent, Ezerath began launching the Flares down on Cyrus, pummeling the SeeD with powerful magic. Cyrus couldn't defend himself as he felt the force of the Flares tear into him.

Once Ezerath had finished his assault, he continued to hover as Cyrus gingerly got back to his feet. Cyrus had to use Defiant Reaper as a crutch as he cast a Curaga spell on himself, closing some of his wounds. Still, the scythe-wielder was in terrible shape as his clothes were soaked in blood and several of the more severe wounds continued to hemorrhage. Still, almost in an act of defiance, Cyrus shouldered his scythe and stood on his own two legs, glaring at Ezerath as the Seraphim Prophet lorded over him.

"Persistent insect," Ezerath muttered as he waved his arms, calling forth a dozen Seraphim wraiths, all of them wielding Raiken blades. With a single nod, the wraiths began approaching Cyrus, looking to impale the scythe-wielder. Still feeding on adrenaline, Cyrus gritted his teeth and conjured a powerful Quake spell at his feet. The transparent ground, despite being made of ancient magic, still split and ruptured as it opened large fissures, swallowing the wraiths into oblivion. The ground sealed back up as Cyrus turned his attention back to Ezerath…only to lose sight of him.

Then, before Cyrus could even blink, Ezerath appeared in front of him in a flash. The Seraphim Prophet grabbed the SeeD with his right hand as he poured magical energy into his left. The magic glowed bright yellow as Ezerath calmly whispered to Cyrus, "This is the end. Alio's Rage."

Ezerath drove his left hand hard into Cyrus's abdomen as the energy in his palm detonated, greatly injuring the scythe-wielder and sending him flying back. Cyrus felt his muscles tear and his back crack as he landed on the ground, which would have caused a crater had the ground not been magically created. Cyrus gasped for breath as two Seraphim wraiths floated over to him and dragged him back up to his feet.

"Cyrus! No!" Kyra shouted in the distance as she saw her captain and friend unable to defend himself. She tried to rush over to him, but she was surrounded by way too many wraiths. Kyra, in her rage, furiously slashed at them with her Phoenix Tears and Soul Crushers, trying to clear a path to Cyrus.

Ezerath, seeing his foe beaten and bloodied, hovered over to Cyrus as the wraiths held him hostage. Defiant Reaper lied still on the ground at Cyrus's feet as Ezerath finally got close enough to say:

"So, the heir of Vascaroon is not as strong as he believes. It is a shame that it had to end this way, as you would have made a worthy vassal for the Great Hyne. If only you would have accepted her rule…"

Ezerath gathered more energy into his hand as he stared down the scythe-wielding SeeDs, whose hands were clenched tight in defiance. "Find peace in the afterlife, reaper. May Hyne forgive your sins and…"

"Shut…up," Cyrus croaked, stunning the Seraphim Prophet. "Two rules you need to know. Rule 15: if you have time to gloat, use it to act instead."

Cyrus started to chuckle a little as he coughed up a little blood. "And Rule Number 16: never, under any circumstance, go into a fight without a means and desire to win."

With that, Cyrus opened his hands, revealing two small vials. The vials fell to the ground, breaking open and exploding with fiery force, completely incinerating the wraiths that held him prisoner. The explosion also startled the ever-stoic Ezerath, giving Cyrus the opening he needed. In one fluid motion, he used his foot to toss Defiant Reaper off the ground into his hands and drove the scythe's blade deep into the gut of Ezerath. Then, using the last of his strength, Cyrus lifted his scythe with Ezerath still impaled and tossed the Seraphim Prophet away. Ezerath crashed into a crowd of his wraiths several yards away, clearing a path for Kyra.

The crimson-haired fighter leapt over the fallen prophet and went to join Cyrus, who was about to fall to the ground due to the severity of his wounds. Kyra, however, was able to catch Cyrus before he could collapse. Kyra held Cyrus up with one arm as she cast healing spells with her other. The two of them were soon joined by Taizen, who was bloodied but relatively uninjured. Cyrus managed to maintain consciousness throughout all this as he looked over at the fallen body of Ezerath.

To his complete and utter shock, the Seraphim Prophet stirred and rose to his feet. Despite having a large, bleeding gash in his midsection, he still hovered and stared down the SeeD trio with hatred in his glowing eyes.

"Unpleasant," Ezerath said in the same, cool tone he always spoke in, "and utterly pathetic. You honestly thought a wound like this would stop a servant of Hyne?"

"It has in the past," Cyrus retorted, surprising Kyra. "But I didn't think you'd be as easy to take down as your acolytes. Fortunately, I know someone who can finish you off."

With the last of his strength, Cyrus shouted at the top of his lungs, "Commander! He's all yours!"

Ezerath, upon hearing this, turned around and saw a very determined Squall Leonhart bring his gunblade up, slashing the Seraphim Prophet and sending him flying into the air. The SeeD Commander quickly leapt up and followed him, unleashing a series of lightning-fast slashes on Ezerath, slashes so fast that Cyrus couldn't keep up with them. Finally, after a minute of relentless assault, Squall finished off his barrage with one final strike across Ezerath's chest. The final slash exploded with incredible force, sending the Seraphim Prophet rocketing to the ground. His body hit the floor with a sickening thud, and he didn't stir back to life this time as Squall landed on his feet and muttered:

"Renzokuken: Lionheart."

Seconds later, Eden began to shake violently as it let loose an unsettling wail. Cyrus, realizing that it was in pain because of its summoner's defeat, called out to Bahamut:

"Now! Attack while it's wounded. Don't hold anything back!"

Bahamut nodded as both he and the Phoenix unleashed powerful attacks in synch. The Phoenix let loose with a large stream of fire while Bahamut fired off an extra-powerful Mega Flare. Both attacks struck Eden with incredible force as Alexander followed up with Holy Judgment. All three attacks combined into one immense explosion, which shook Eden up but did not force the Eternal Avatar to vanish. Cyrus was about to tell Bahamut to attack again when Squall held his hand up, silencing the scythe-wielder.

"Griever, end this," Squall simply said as Griever flew out in front of its GF brethren, hovering between them and Eden. The Shadow of Fate stared down the Eternal Avatar as he raised his right claw and closed his eyes. His body glowed bright white as Eden was surrounded by several white orbs. A beam of white energy shot up beneath Eden and pierced the ancient GF. The orbs, attracted to the magical beam like a magnet, rotated around Eden at incredible speeds before colliding with the Eternal Avatar, creating a flux of energy that ebbed and flowed. Griever, still hovering in place, raised its claw and clenched its fist, whispering in a vicious, prideful tone, "Shockwave Pulsar."

The ebbing energy collapsed and imploded, releasing a force similar to that of a dying star going supernova. Eden wailed even louder as Griever's attack continued releasing energy. The Eternal Avatar, unable to handle so much power, had no choice but to vanish, retreating back to its summoner.

Eden, the strongest of all the Guardian Forces, had fallen.

Before Cyrus could even react, the pocket dimension they had been fighting in started to shake and shutter. The scythe wielder felt him consciousness slip into darkness yet again as he collapsed to the ground, followed by his teammates and Squall. The last thing Cyrus saw before his eyes closed was the runes on the ground fading and splintering, reducing the dimension back into nothingness…

* * *

"Cyrus! Damn it, hotshot! Wake up!"

Kyra's demands shook Cyrus out of his semi-coma as he awoke to find himself in the same cavern that the fight with Ezerath had begun. He also found himself in a very comfortable position: his head cradled in Kyra's lap. He turned to look in Kyra's eyes as he smiled and managed to say:

"Kyra, why is it that whenever I get knocked unconscious that we end up in this position?"

"You're just lucky, I guess," Kyra replied with a smile. "Taizen woke up before you or I did and healed us both. The Commander's with Counselor Heartilly."

"How are they?" Cyrus asked.

"The Commander's fine. Counselor Heartilly's awake, but very weak. She's…no longer a sorceress. I guess Ezerath really did drain her of her power."

Cyrus nodded as Kyra helped him back to his feet. Taizen, seeing his captain rise again, walked up to join his teammates. Taizen simply nodded as Cyrus returned the gesture. Cyrus turned and saw Squall kneeling beside Rinoa, embracing her and whispering something in her ear. He then started to look around for Ezerath.

He saw Ezerath, or rather, his body, lying next to the altar in the center of the cavern. Cyrus was about to breathe a sigh of relief until he noticed the Seraphim Prophet start to move.

Cyrus, without missing a beat, grabbed Defiant Reaper and stood steadfast as Ezerath grabbed the altar and dragged himself up to his feet. Kyra, fully enraged, shouted at the Seraphim Prophet in a venomous tone.

"You rat bastard! Don't you know when to just give up and die?"

Squall, never leaving Rinoa's side, glared at Ezerath, whose white robe was stained crimson with blood. The scarred zealot paid no attention to the SeeD commander and the weakened sorceress as he stared at Cyrus and his teammates.

"I…will not fall. Not until…the goddess rises again."

He then turned to face the central pit. In spite of his still-bleeding wounds, Ezerath managed to maintain enough strength to chant:

_**My left hand is the bridge to the past, my right the path to the future.**_

_**My body is the conduit for her resurrection, my soul the sacrifice to give her life.**_

_**May my spirit reach yours, my goddess…**_

…_**and lead you back to the realm of the living.**_

As he finished, Ezerath's body became consumed in a powerful yellow light as he screamed in unimaginable agony. Cyrus was about to shout some orders to Kyra and Taizen, but was cut off as Ezerath fell into the pit and a pillar of yellow light shot up from the abyss. Squall reached for his gunblade but kept his focus on his wife as the pillar continued to expand and illuminate the cavern in blinding light. Cyrus clenched his teeth, wondering what the hell was going on as he heard something speak from beyond the blinding light:

"_I have returned…"_

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**I have a few things I need to tell all my fellow travelers on the Long and Winding Road:**

**1) I deeply apologize for waiting so long to upload this chapter. Work has been hectic, and on top of that I was in an auto accident. My car ended up the meat in a three-car sandwich and it was completely totalled. Dealing with that has taken a lot of my focus away from most everything else, but thankfully I and the other motorists were uninjured. Now I just have to find myself a new vehicle...loads of fun. Again, I apologize for being so slow with my uploads, and I promise not to abandon this story until I've finished it.**

**2) 200 reviews! Thanks to everyone who has enjoyed this story enough to leave me a review. I am deeply honored that you think so much of my writing. Sexy party invites go out to trevorami, butcherthegirl, ExtremeuGamer, BestInInfluence, B-Boy Philosophy, Hiiro Mizutani, and the Duelist of Dawn. Thank you again for helping me reach this milestone!**

**3) My poll is still up. If you haven't voted yet, you can still cast your vote for which universe I'll throw myself in for my self-insert project!**

**At any rate, this story is reaching its final climax, so strap in and get ready for one final ride!**

**Captain Falcon says you should show me your moves and review. Do I even need to tell you what happens if you don't? Hint: it rhymes with Talcum Lunch...**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	45. Chapter 45

The blinding light subsided as Cyrus rubbed his eyes, trying to regain his sight. Once he did, he found himself in yet another strange location.

This time, however, the deep sea cavern was replaced with an opulent atrium, one worthy of the most lavish of palaces. Cyrus stood in the center of this atrium as he looked around, scanning the room for any hints as to where he was. The walls were lined with ornate tapestries depicting various creatures and mystical runes. The ceiling above was made of glass, and Cyrus could see a pair of towers looming overhead. Behind Cyrus was a large, gold door that towered over him; in front of him was a long staircase that led towards an illuminated archway. The light emanating from it was too bright for Cyrus to see what was beyond it.

What troubled Cyrus more than anything was that he stood alone in this strange room. There was no sign of his team or Commander Leonhart. The scythe-wielder thought for a minute that he was dreaming…that is, until a massive monster crashed into the ground and let loose a deafening roar.

Cyrus stumbled a bit as the monster emerged from the crater it had created. It looked exactly like the behemoth he had fought back in Esthar. However, this monster was twice that behemoth's size and covered in gray fur lined with crimson-red marking, its mane was a dull shade of platinum. The monster glared at Cyrus as the SeeD grabbed Defiant Reaper and prepared himself for the imminent assault.

"_**Human…"**_

Cyrus lost his killer focus when he heard that voice. It was low, menacing…and it came from the behemoth-like monster.

"What the hell? Did you just talk, ugly?" Cyrus asked, half-tauntingly and half-tentatively.

"_**You will show me respect, youngling," **_the monster replied. _**"I am Catoblepas, the Behemoth King. And you trespass on holy ground."**_

"Hold up!" Cyrus insisted. "I didn't choose to come here, you overgrown bastard child of a cat and dog! And how in hell's name are you still alive? I thought you were destroyed during the raid on Ultimecia's Castle?"

"_**The mistress of this palace has granted me life. In exchange, I serve her as I served Lady Ultimecia. She has ordered me to end your life, reaper…unless you are willing to submit to her will."**_

"Your mistress…Hyne?" Cyrus asked rhetorically. "So, Ezerath managed to pull off the resurrection. Well, that sucks golfballs through a garden hose. Well fuzzy, I hate to disappoint, but the only thing I want to do is have her get reacquainted with a scythe blade. Now, tell me what you did to my friends before I commence with the ass-kicking."

Catoblepas shook his head. _**"I have done nothing to them. Two other sentinels are dealing with them as we speak."**_

"Divide and conquer, huh?" Cyrus said with a scoff. "Interesting strategy. Too bad it's going to backfire on you."

"_**What are you implying, human?" **_Catoblepas replied, taken aback.

"If your goddess was smart, she'd have realized that my team and I aren't anyone to screw around with. Taizen's too strong to let some monster on steroids take him down, and Kyra? I feel real sorry for whoever drew the short straw to take her on."

Cyrus crouched slightly as Defiant Reaper rested on his left shoulder, ready to strike. "So basically, this is how it works: my friends and I fight you jackasses, whoop your asses, find your mistress, and end this insanity. Simple and straightforward…just the way I like it."

The scythe-wielder took a deep breath before continuing, "Besides, I've already killed one of your "minions" in the past. Might as well take out the king!"

In an instant, Cyrus ran at full speed at the Behemoth King, his scythe ready to strike. Catoblepas, in turn, dug his claws into the ground as he prepared to lunge at the scythe-wielder. The massive behemoth moved to gore Cyrus as the two rushed headlong into one another…

* * *

Taizen stirred as he looked at his new surroundings. The cavern he was originally in was replaced with a lush courtyard. The moon overhead was full, giving off enough light for Taizen to see all the landscaping. Gardens of flowers surrounded the massive swordsman as a gigantic fountain spouted water in the center of this courtyard. Taizen didn't take the time to admire the foliage as he unsheathed Knight's Valor and held it in his right hand, cautiously searching for an exit.

"_**So, you survived the Great Hyne's resurrection. You are strong, human…"**_

Taizen, hearing the voice come from behind, turned to face its source. To his surprise, he found a pair of bandaged hands sticking out of the ground. Between the two hands was a head wrapped in gauze, leaving only its mouth and eyes open and free. Its mouth was jagged and toothless, and its eyes glowed a sickly yellow.

"A vysage?" Taizen muttered, recognizing the monster.

"_**Vysage? No, that is not my name," **_the monster corrected. It then extended its left hand and grabbed Taizen in a vise-like grip. The monster then sifted through the ground and drove Taizen into a wall hard. Taizen struggled to break free of the monster's grasp as it continued to rasp:

"_**Tell me, human, do you truly understand what it is you dare challenge? The mistress Hyne held the world in the palm of her hand. Now, she has risen once more. She is an omnipotent being of incredible power and the one true sorceress. Do you honestly think you can stand against her?!"**_

Taizen, still trying break the monster's grip, calmly answered, "Honestly? No. Logically, there's no reason that my comrades and I could be victorious against Hyne…"

The monster started to snicker. However, it was interrupted by Taizen finally freeing his right arm and bringing Knight's Valor down on the monster's wrist, easily cleaving through. The monster screeched in pain as it backed off, allowing Taizen to stand on his own feet again. The hulking SeeD twisted his head and loosened his neck up as he continued to say:

"No reason whatsoever…but I'll still fight."

"_**Say what?" **_the monster retorted. _**"You admit you can't win, yet you'll still fight? Are you mad, human?!"**_

"No," Taizen calmly answered. "I said there's no reason why we should win. I never said we wouldn't win."

The monster was taken aback by Taizen's explanation. Seeing the creature's surprise, Taizen decided to elaborate. "I've always thought that the world operated on reason and logic…that one should never fight unless they could be as close to certain of victory as possible. But, it would seem that with my captain, logic and reason get thrown out the window. For every brilliant strategy he comes up with, there's a near suicidal plan that follows it."

Taizen cleared his throat (as he wasn't used to speaking so much at one time) before continuing, "He rushes forward, regardless of the odds. And he has made it this far with that attitude. So, in spite of the supposed chances against me and my comrades, I choose to trust Cyrus. Therefore, I can't waste time on something like you. So, unless you wish to taste my blade, I suggest you leave me in peace. My captain…my friend needs my strength."

The monster shot Taizen a quizzical look before asking, _**"Your name, human…what is it?"**_

Taizen shrugged as he answered, "Taizen Kouken, SeeD Special Forces."

"_**Very well, Taizen Kouken. You wish to fight against the inevitable, then I will be more than happy to stand against you…"**_

The monster started to cackle as the ground started to shake. The once severed hand was quickly regenerated and put to use as the monster grabbed the ground and pulled itself up, revealing a broad, hollow chest and an exposed ribcage. The monster flexed his arms as it finished pulling itself up, standing on a pair of muscular legs. This new foe stood fifteen feet high, towering over even Taizen. It glared at Taizen with a diabolic glare as it roared:

"_**In the name of the Great Hyne, who brought me back from the abyss, I will be your executioner. So prepare yourself, Taizen Kouken…and tremble before the strength of the mighty Gargantua!"**_

Taizen, never flinching, grabbed his zweihander with both hands as he took a deep breath. After exhaling, he stood firm as the monstrosity calling itself "Gargantua" reeled back with a powerful punch. Without any hesitation, Taizen brought up Knight's Valor to block the blow. As Taizen struggled against Gargantua's might, he remembered something Cyrus said in the past.

"_Rule Number 1," _Taizen said to himself as he refocused on his new enemy, pushing back and starting the battle…

* * *

"Damn it all to hell and back! I am NOT a damsel in distress!"

Kyra continued to swear and rant as she continued to pace in her new surroundings. Upon regaining her senses, the crimson-haired fighter found herself locked in a tower overlooking a lavish palace. Determined not to be the princess locked away until her knight in shining armor showed up to whisk her off her feet, she spent the last several minutes looking for an exit or trying to smash her way out. Finding no such means of escape, she let out her frustrations on the surrounding furniture and in the form of a profanity-laden rant. After properly venting her frustrations, she took a deep breath and decided to look out the tower's only window to get an idea of where she was.

Kyra had to admit one thing: being locked in a tower may be frustrating, but it did provide her a great view of the palace. She could see just how massive and majestic this place was, but to her it was overkill. The entire palace was just too gaudy and over-the-top, as if its resident was trying to flaunt their status or power…

It was then that something caught Kyra's eye: a glass ceiling over the front of the palace. She grabbed a pair of binoculars from her overcoat pocket and zoomed in to the glass ceiling, looking through it. She hoped to get a glance of whoever was stupid enough to lock her up.

What she saw was something else entirely.

There, in that atrium, stood a massive red behemoth. Facing off against the monster was a familiar-looking young man wielding a scythe…

"Cyrus! Son of a…hang on, hotshot! I'll bust out of here and…"

Kyra was interrupted by a sinister cackle as she frantically turned to face whatever was laughing at her. "Who's there? Who's the sorry bastard that wants to try and take me on?"

"_**THAT WOULD BE ME!" **_the voice answered as a jagged figure fell from the top of the tower, breaking through the ceiling. This creature was made of dozens of large crystals thrust together around a red center, which looked like flesh. It had three arms, two on either side of it and the third jutting from a large crystal jutting out from its right shoulder. The monster's mouth was lined with sharp, crystalline teeth as it glared at Kyra with a crazed look in its eyes.

"What the hell are you supposed to be?" Kyra demanded through clenched teeth. She drew her Phoenix Tears as the creature hovered before her.

"_**HE-HE-HE-HE! THEY CALL ME KRYSTA. I AM ONE OF HYNE'S SENTINELS, BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE TO KILL ALL WHO CHALLENGE HER!"**_

"Screw that! I've got to get to Cyrus! So get the hell out of my way before I turn you into an eighteen-karat pile of crap!" Kyra shouted as she dropped into her fighter's stance.

"_**AW, WHAT'S THE MATTER?" **_Krysta asked mockingly. _**"YOU SCARED THAT YOUR LOVER'S ABOUT TO GET GORED BY CATOBLEPAS?"**_

"OF COURSE I AM!" Kyra shouted at the top of her lungs, stunning Krysta. The crimson-haired fighter regained her composure before continuing, "Damn it, I love that asshole. He's the only man I've met who respects and likes me for who I am. Cyrus is passionate, dedicated, and always up for a good fight. So yeah, I love him. And I made a promise to watch his back until he tells me not to…and unfortunately for you, he hasn't asked me to back off."

Krysta grinded its jaw as Kyra continued, "So get this through your head! If you insist on being a wall in my way, I'll bust through you and any other obstacle that stands between me and what I want. Or as Cyrus would say: that's Rule Number 1, bitch!"

Without wasting a second, Kyra leapt towards Krysta, her blades gleaming in the moonlight. The crystalline monster used its claws to grab Kyra's wrists, holding the fighter off. Krysta reeled back with its third arm and clenched its fist as it bellowed:

"_**FILTHY HUMAN! YOU THINK YOU CAN BEST ME? IT TOOK THREE WARRIORS OF GREATER STRENGTH THAN YOU TO DESTROY ME LAST TIME! YOU CAN'T HOPE TO DEFEAT ME ON YOUR OWN! I WILL TEAR YOU APART AND LEAVE YOUR CORPSE FOR YOUR PRECIOUS CYRUS TO FIND AND DESPAIR OVER!"**_

"Like hell you will!" Kyra roared as she performed a backflip, driving her foot into Krysta's chin. Krysta was dazed just enough for Kyra to get free and drop back into her battle stance. Krysta regained its senses as its eyes glowed pure red hatred.

Kyra took a deep breath as she sized up her would-be destroyer. With a slight smirk, she muttered one last thing to herself before lunging at Krysta again…

"Don't worry, hotshot. Just keep fighting and I'll come find you. I promise."

* * *

As her three sentinels faced off against the interlopers, a slender, feminine figure in a sheer white gown sitting on a jewel-entrusted golden throne watched the imminent battles via a magical screen. The figure conjured up a glass of dark red wine and raised it to her full ruby lips. As she drank from the glass, she closed her eyes and shook her head in disgust at the mortals who dared to challenge her will.

She finished her wine and set her glass down as she took another look at the magical screen. She had resurrected these guardians from the void as her personal guard, and was intrigued to see if they were as powerful as they had been in their past life.

All three humans leapt headfirst into battle, a move that surprised the woman. She marveled at their tenacity, but resigned them to their eventual destruction as she filled her glass with wine again.

"_Vascaroon's heir will answer for the sins of his ancestor," _the woman thought as she took another drink. She reclined on her throne, watching intently as the three mortals began their fight against her guardians…

…and their fight against her will.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Three of Ultimecia's baddies come back from the dead to raise some hell. Can our heroes (and heroine) take out these powerful monsters and bring an end to the Great Hyne's return? Stay tuned to find out...same Truth Time, same Exile Channel!**

**But yeah, there it is. I needed one more obstacle for my characters to overcome before fighting Hyne herself, so I went this route. I'll certainly do my best to bring forth the epic in all three battles and with the inevitable confrontation with the goddess herself.**

**Thanks to the reviewers from last chapter: B-Boy Philosophy, noc (new reviewers=epic win!), butcherthegirl (check out the Afterlife Tales: Separated in the FFIX section), BestinInfluence, Hiiro Mizutani, ExtremeuGamer, Ally Todd, and the Duelist of Dawn. I tip my cane to all of you.**

**And if case you hadn't already, make sure to vote in my profile poll. It's a REAL tight race, so every vote counts!**

**And remember, your reviews are the reviews that are going to bust through the heavens! (I've been on a bit of a "Gurren Lagann" bender)**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	46. Chapter 46

Gargantua continued to pummel Taizen with his massive fists as Taizen either dodged the blows or used Knight's Valor to block them. The mummy-like monster controlled most of the battle between him and the muscular SeeD, never letting his opponent build much if any offense and countering Taizen's strikes with increased fury. Taizen, however, endured the barrage as the battle raged in the courtyard.

After five minutes of holding off Gargantua's strikes, Taizen decided to try a different approach as he struggled to block Gargantua's right fist with Knight's Valor. With one hand on his zweihander, Taizen conjured a Firaga spell in his other. Once the magic reached its climax, Taizen let it loose, sending it straight for Gargantua's hollow chest. The fire spell exploded in the massive monster's ribcage and started to burn its bandaged flesh. As a result, Gargantua had no choice but to back off as he feverishly worked to put out the flames. Taizen, sensing the opportunity, grabbed Knight's Valor with both hand and rushed Gargantua. However, despite being on fire, Gargantua sensed the impending danger and slammed its fists into the ground, causing the ground to break apart as if it was an earthquake. Taizen lost his footing as the ground fissured and cracked, giving Gargantua the opportunity to douse the flames and rush Taizen again. Using his powerful legs, Gargantua powered through the broken earth and brought his palm down hard on Taizen, pinning the SeeD to the ground.

"_**Disgusting. Was that your best, Taizen Kouken?" **_Gargantua taunted in his menacing, raspy voice. He raised his free hand and balled it into a fist as he asked, _**"You told me that you would fight and win no matter the odds. And yet, here you are, at my mercy. You were a fool to think you could stand against me alone."**_

"Alone…" Taizen muttered as Gargantua brought his fist down, looking to crush the SeeD's bones with one final strike. Before he could connect, Gargantua stopped his blow as felt his palm burn with magical energy…energy that was pouring out of Taizen as he began to push his way out of Gargantua's grip with his bare hands. He managed to free himself and push back Gargantua as he grabbed his zweihander from the ground and rested the massive sword on his shoulder. He twisted his neck left and right as Gargantua stood in shock.

"_**Impossible! Even with the Guardian Forces, you can't possibly have that much strength!"**_

Taizen shook his head as he simply stated, "Don't underestimate me. A wise friend once told me that I possess a great inner strength, one that was strong enough to drive away the darkness and bring the wicked to justice. Also…"

Not one second after saying that, Taizen rushed at Gargantua with inhuman speed as he cleaved Gargantua's arm from its shoulder in a flash of strength and velocity. Gargantua couldn't even react as he howled in agony from his lost limb. The towering monster glared at Taizen with an evil look in his eyes as Taizen continued:

"…even though I fight on my own, I'm still a part of a team. Cyrus, Kyra…the three of us have fought many battles both together and separate. We stand as one even when we're apart. So when you fight me, you fight them as well."

Taizen took a deep breath as Gargantua started to slowly regenerate its missing arm as the swordsman actually let a chuckle slip.

"However, I think you'll find that I am more than enough to slay you myself, Gargantua!"

"_**You insect!" **_Gargantua hissed. _**"You speak nonsense! You are merely human, nothing but flesh and mind and bone. If you think that you're so strong, then try and slay me if you dare!"**_

Gargantua's eyes started to glow as Taizen found himself surrounded by a ghastly purple fog. The fog seemed to dull his senses and sap his energy as he felt his whole body become lethargic. As a result, Taizen was unable to react as Gargantua used its newly-formed fist to punch Taizen hard, sending the swordsman flying into and threw a solid stone wall. Sensing victory, Gargantua let loose a throaty cackle as the dust started to settle where the SeeD's body made contact with the wall. Gargantua's winning feeling quickly disappeared as the dust settled…revealing a bloodied but still standing Taizen.

"_**Curse you, human! Why won't you die?!"**_

Taizen said nothing as he never met Gargantua's gaze with his own. The bandaged monster growled as he conjured a pair of Demi spells in his hands before sending them flying at Taizen. When the Demis were halfway towards reaching their target, Taizen shot his head up and stared at Gargantua with a fiery gaze before jumping out of the way. The two Demi spells collided harmlessly behind the massive swordsman as he rushed headlong towards Gargantua.

Gargantua, for his part, didn't wait for Taizen to reach him as his eyes started to glow again. Taizen, knowing what was coming, stopped his lunge as he shielded his eyes with Knight's Valor, negating the effects of Gargantua's ethereal fog. Once the immediate danger had passed, Taizen grabbed his zweihander with both hands and held it out in front of him. Energy started to pour from his body as Gargantua screeched: _**"I've had enough of you! I won't let you take another breath!"**_

As Taizen continued to build power, Gargantua rushed at Taizen as fast as he could, hoping to stop whatever the swordsman was planning. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't fast enough.

In a tone just above a whisper, Taizen calmly stated, "Final Cleave."

Knight's Valor's blade began to glow as it grew to immense proportions with magical energies. Taizen, as his blade grew, took Knight's Valor in both hands as he brought it above his head. A second later, the hulking SeeD brought it down in a flash…and on top of Gargantua's head from ten feet away.

Hyne's sentinel was killed instantly.

As Gargantua's body fell to the ground dead, Knight's Valor returned to its normal size as the energies created from Taizen's Limit Break subsided. Taizen said nothing as he sheathed his zweihander and looked for a way out of the courtyard as Gargantua's body dissolved into nothingness. Before he had much a chance to catch his breath (much less find an exit), Taizen found himself surrounded by a yellow light. Seconds later, the light completely encompassed Taizen, leaving the strong-bodied swordsman standing there, wondering.

"_What is this?" _Taizen pondered as he felt his body dissipate. In a flash, the light phased away and Taizen had vanished from the courtyard…

* * *

The tower that had become the battlefield between Kyra and Krysta had become a ruined mess as the crimson-haired fighter and the sapient crystal held nothing back. With every exchange, a new hole was created in the walls as Kyra tried to keep up with Krysta's speed and tenacity. The insane crystal never stopped laughing as it went blow-for-blow with Kyra.

"_**COME ON, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" **_Krysta taunted as Kyra rushed in, her Phoenix Tears slashing wildly. _**"LOVERBOY'S NOT GOING TO LAST TOO LONG IF YOU WASTE TOO MUCH TIME FIGHTING ME!"**_

"Damn it!" Kyra swore as her fiery daggers continued to strike at Krysta's body. However, even with Kyra's strength, the Phoenix Tears did little to harm the crystalline monster's diamond-hard hide. After a series of slashes, Krysta retaliated with a pulse of white light from its third arm, casting it right on top of Kyra and sending the SeeD crashing through the wood floor of the tower. Kyra continued to crash through three floors before landing hard on the fourth. Krysta continued to cackle as it gently floated down to face its prey.

The crystalline monster, however, stopped cackling as it saw Kyra kip up and shoot it a look intended to kill. Before it could react, Kyra pointed her open palms and cast an overpowered Thundaga spell at her nemesis. Electricity coursed through Krysta's body as the monster took real damage for the first time in its fight with this crimson-haired fighter.

However, thanks to Krysta's previous attack, Kyra was too exhausted to capitalize with another spell. This gave the crystalline monster the opening it needed to counter. Seconds after the Thundaga subsided, Krysta hurled itself at Kyra and pinned the redhead to the ground with its two primary claws. With its third arm, Krysta clenched Kyra's throat, tight enough to stop her from moving her head. The insane crystal then lowered its horrifying visage until its face was inches away from Kyra's. Krysta grinded its jagged teeth before saying:

"_**FACE IT, LITTLE GIRL. YOU CAN'T EVEN SCRATCH ME. SO QUIT SQUIRMING AND I MAY END YOUR AGONIZING DEATH A LITTLE SOONER."**_

"Not a chance, you sick freak," Kyra retorted as Krysta's grip on her neck tightened. "I'm not about to let some living crystal motherfucker have the pleasure of seeing me give up. And I'm damn sure not going to lose this fight! Not with so much at stake!!!"

Kyra then, with a surge of adrenaline, managed to free her right arm and grab a hold of one of her Phoenix Tears. Before Krysta could even react, Kyra drove her dagger deep into the red center of the crystalline menace. Krysta howled in pain as it released its grip on Kyra and backed up against the tower wall, its hands over its seemingly mortal wound.

"_**NOOOOO! YOU FOUND MY WEAK SPOT! I CAN'T BELIEVE…"**_

Kyra got back to her feet, her Phoenix Tears held loosely at her sides. She had a smug look on her face as Krysta continued to squirm and squeal in agony. That smug look, however, wouldn't last…

"_**I CAN'T BELIEVE…CAN'T BELIEVE YOU THOUGHT THAT WOULD WORK!"**_

Krysta stopped clenching its red fleshy center as sharp crystal blades pierced through its two main claws. _**"THIS ISN'T SOME FANTASY TALE, LITTLE GIRL! THERE'S NO WEAK POINT TO EXPLOIT FOR CRITICAL DAMAGE! THIS FLESH IS NOTHING MORE THAN A MEMENTO FROM MY PREVIOUS LIFE. IT MEANS NOTHING TO ME! I AM INVINCIBLE! MWAHAHAHA!!!"**_

Before Kyra could even register what had happened, Krysta lunged at Kyra, driving one of its crystal blades into the fighter's left shoulder, intentionally missing any vital organs in an attempt to inflict more and more pain on the female SeeD. Krysta pinned Kyra to the wall as it brought its second blade up, aiming its point at Kyra's jugular.

"_**PATHETIC! UTTERLY WEAK! AND YOU HONESTLY THOUGHT YOU COULD KILL ME? I'M TIRED OF TOYING WITH YOU, LITTLE GIRL. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE TASTE OF YOUR OWN BLOOD…BECAUSE YOU'LL BE CHOKING ON IT ON THE PATH TO A BRUTAL AND PAINFUL DEATH!"**_

Despite the agony she was in, Kyra started to laugh. Krysta was in shock at the crimson-haired SeeD's continued defiance. The insane crystal monster was even more shocked as Kyra's body began to pulse with powerful magic…

"Listen very carefully to me, Krysta…because it'll be the last time I say it and the last thing you will ever hear," Kyra warned in a low tone. "If you want to be an obstacle in my way, I'll find a way to tear you down. And unfortunately for you, I don't have to hold back anymore!"

With her right hand, Kyra grabbed the crystal blade pinning her against the wall and quickly shattered it. Krysta, unable to react to this new development, didn't have the time to counter as Kyra drove both her feet into Krysta's body, sending the sapient crystal flying hard into the opposite wall. Krysta shook off the shock of Kyra's new burst of power before hearing a subtle creaking noise coming from where Kyra had kicked it.

There, on Krysta's "invincible" body, was a crack.

Kyra, not noticing the damage she had just inflicted and not caring about it either way, sheathed her Phoenix Tears as her energy continued to build. She crouched down as Krysta regained its senses. Kyra had a wild look in her eyes and a wicked smile on her lips as she shouted at her adversary:

"Hope you're ready to get your ass kicked, you sick son of a bitch! Brawler's Spirit!"

Krysta didn't even see Kyra rush towards him as the crimson-haired fighter drove her fist squarely underneath the monster's chin, shouting, "Spectral Uppercut!" Krysta was launched with incredible velocity up the ruined tower, tumbling completely out of control. Kyra, wasting little time, leapt into the air at even faster speeds, catching up to her quarry.

"Sparrow Barrage!" Kyra announced as she propelled herself off one of the tower's walls, driving her shoulder into Krysta and smashing the sapient crystal into the opposite wall. Before Krysta could react, Kyra grabbed one of the monster's limbs and tossed him higher into the air before launching herself again. She continued using this move as both fighter and monster worked their way to the very top floor of the tower.

Krysta, once confident in its body's own invulnerability, was now covered in cracks and fissures. On top of that, it couldn't even fight back as Kyra continued her onslaught.

Once they reached the top, Kyra positioned herself beneath Krysta and thrust her palm into the crystalline monster's chest. Blood red energy seeped from her palm as she said with a wicked grin, "Exploder Palm!" The energy detonated with incredible force, splintering Krysta's body further and sending the monster crashing through the tower's roof and into the night sky.

Krysta tumbled violently in the air for several second before falling back down through the tower and onto the top floor, breaking the wooden planks but not busting through. Krysta, now in pain it hadn't felt in nearly a decade, looked at Kyra with genuine fright in its once prideful and crazed face.

"_**NO…WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU, HUMAN?" **_Krysta asked nervously.

"Just a girl in love," Kyra replied with that same wicked grin as she crouched down yet again and lunged one more time at Krysta. She got within inches of Krysta's once-fearsome visage before whispering to the sapient crystal:

"Descent Into Hell…"

Seconds later, Kyra unleashed a vicious volley of punches, kicks, and knee and elbow strikes on Krysta. The sapient crystal felt its body start to give as Kyra continued to apply blows on top of blows. Finally, after what seemed like nearly a hundred separate strikes, Kyra lifted her leg high in the air as she drove her heel down on top of Krysta's head with immeasurable force. That final strike sent Krysta plummeting through every last floor in the tower before crashing into the hard stone base below. Completely weakened by Kyra's Limit Break, Krysta's body shattered with the impact, leaving only its head and one of its limbs still intact. Kyra, completely drained after using Brawler's Spirit, crouched down on her hands and knees on the top floor of the tower, admiring the shattered pile of crystals that was once Krysta. Kyra, after taking a minute to enjoy her victory, was about to find a way out of the tower and rejoin Cyrus when she noticed that the shattered body of Krysta was giving off immense energy…energy similar to an Ultima spell.

"_**DIE, LITTLE GIRL…ULTIMA KAMIKAZE!"**_

Krysta's body exploded in an incredibly powerful Ultima spell that resonated throughout the tower, shaking it to its foundation and threatening to bring it down. Boosted by adrenaline, Kyra willed her body to move as she looked feverishly for an escape. Before she had much of a chance to look, she found herself surrounded by a strange yellow light. Seconds later, the light had vanished with Kyra along with it as the Ultima Kamikaze subsided and the tower collapsed into a large pile of rubble.

* * *

In spite of his size, Catoblepas proved to be a swift and agile opponent as the Behemoth King and Cyrus Ranto clashed with steel, fangs, claws, and horns all over the atrium of Hyne's Palace. Both monster and SeeD pressed the other with bold and forceful attacks. Catoblepas was surprised at just how well this human was able to anticipate its moves. True, the monster had wounded the scythe-wielder several times, but the SeeD had taken his fair share of flesh as well.

Of course, this was not simply luck; after all, Cyrus had faced off against a behemoth in the past and was familiar with how they moved and attacked. Had this been a normal behemoth, Cyrus was certain he could have landed a critical strike by now and ended this fight.

But this foe…not only was Catoblepas larger, stronger, and faster than a regular behemoth, he possessed a very analytical and intelligent mind. Every time Cyrus though he had figured out Catoblepas's strategy, the Behemoth King did something to throw Cyrus off and go on the offensive.

Cyrus and Catoblepas were at an impasse as the scythe-wielder had lodged Defiant Reaper in Catoblepas's horns. Cyrus's GF-enhanced strength struggled to hold off Catoblepas's natural power. As the two tried to gain the advantage, Catoblepas growled and spoke to the scythe-wielding SeeD:

"_**You fight well, youngling. It is obvious you have learned much from fighting my minion."**_

"Of course," Cyrus replied with a smirk. "But I have to give you credit…you're ten times stronger than the last behemoth I killed. But there's something that bugs me."

"_**And what might that be?" **_Catoblepas asked as he tightened his horns around Defiant Reaper's shaft.

"You say you serve Hyne because she brought you back to life. You fight me because the bitch told you to. I'm just wondering how the mighty Behemoth King fell so low to take order like some lowly Seraphim cultist."

"_**Do not presume to understand my motives, human. I am honor-bound to repay the goddess for resurrecting me. Even if it means fighting a battle I have no desire to fight."**_

Cyrus lowered his gaze as he nodded. "Payback's hell, I suppose."

"_**Indeed."**_

"In that case, I hope you won't take it personally when I'm forced to send you back to the abyss!"

"_**Nor I you!" **_Catoblepas roared as he jerked his head up and side to side, catching Cyrus off-guard and allowing the Behemoth King to toss him like a ragdoll. Eventually, Catoblepas was able to free its horns from Defiant Reaper, sending both scythe and scythe-wielder flying to the ground near the staircase. Before Cyrus could get back to his feet, Catoblepas pounced on him, looking to use its powerful jaws to tear Cyrus apart. Cyrus barely had enough time to block the Behemoth King's fangs with Defiant Reaper. Catoblepas continued to maw on Defiant Reaper as Cyrus frantically searched his coat for a particular vial…

"_Got it!" _Cyrus mentally said as he found the vial he was looking for. He held onto Defiant Reaper with one hand as he shouted, "Chew on this, king!"

Cyrus tossed the vial in Catoblepas's mouth. The vial shattered as a noxious black smoke poured from the Behemoth King's fangs as he started to choke on Cyrus's chemical concoction. Catoblepas backed away from Cyrus, allowing the scythe-wielder to get back onto his feet. Cyrus ran at Catoblepas with the intent to drive his scythe's blade into his enemy's throat. However, in between coughing fits, Catoblepas saw Cyrus rushing him and turned to swipe at the SeeD with his tail. Cyrus quickly adapted as he dodged Catoblepas's tail and drove Defiant Reaper's blade down, pinning the Behemoth King's tail to the ground. Catoblepas howled in pain as black smoke still poured from his mouth, giving Cyrus an opening…

"Try and handle this! Thundaga!"

Like he had done several times before, Cyrus channeled the Thundaga spell through his scythe and into the body of his opponent. However, unlike the mechs and monster in the past, the lightning magic seemed to have no effect on Catoblepas.

The Behemoth King snickered as faint trails of smoke disappeared from his maw. _**"Poor choice of elemental magic, human."**_

Catoblepas, with renewed vigor, freed its tail from Defiant Reaper's blade and slammed it into Cyrus, knocking the scythe-wielding SeeD into the wall with incredible force. Cyrus felt his body crash into stone, knocking the wind out of his lungs. Cyrus fell to the ground on his knees as Catoblepas lined himself up with his dazed opponent.

"_**It ends…" **_Catoblepas muttered as he dug his paws into the floor. He then lurched back before lunging at the prostrate warrior, looking to finish this fight with one final gore. However, Cyrus was able to get back to his feet and move aside at the last minute, dodging Catoblepas's horns. The Behemoth King instead dug his horns deep into the wall and found it hard to free himself. Cyrus took the chance to down an X-Potion and conjure up a non-elemental Flare spell, casting it directly into Catoblepas's left side. Catoblepas roared in agony as the Flare spell jerked him free from the wall and sent him crashing into the staircase. The Behemoth King staggered back to his feet as Cyrus stood firm, Defiant Reaper at his side and ready to strike.

"Get up, Catoblepas. This fight's not quite over yet," Cyrus stated.

Catoblepas, confused, managed to get back to a sturdy vertical base as he stared down his human adversary. _**"That was foolish, youngling. You could have driven your blade into my throat and ended this fight. Why use your magic?"**_

"It's complicated," Cyrus acknowledged. "But the way I see it, you and I are fighting a fight neither of us wants to fight, yet neither of us can't stop this fight. You have a debt to repay, and I have to kill Hyne. So I figure if we have to fight, we might as well make it an honorable one. No tricks, no underhanded bullshit, just a good old-fashioned one-on-one brawl to the end."

"_**You are a fool," **_Catoblepas replied as he shook his head in disbelief. The Behemoth King then let slip a toothy smile as he continued, _**"But you are at least a noble fool. Very well, let us end this."**_

Cyrus nodded as he and Catoblepas rushed into one another. Cyrus drew blood as his scythe dug into Catoblepas's left front shoulder. In response, the Behemoth King whipped his head to the right, using his horns to slash Cyrus's chest, leaving the scythe wielder with two parallel gashes. In response, Cyrus tore through Catoblepas's shoulder with Defiant Reaper before being knocked aside by the Behemoth King's right paw. Cyrus maintained his footing as he shouldered his scythe and cast a Blizzaga spell, coating Catoblepas's face with ice. Catoblepas clawed the ice from his eyes, but was unable to react as Cyrus brought Defiant Reaper's blade down on Catoblepas's right horn, shattering it. Completely aghast at the loss of his horn, Catoblepas was unable to stop Cyrus from cutting a deep gash into his right side. The gash ran from front to hind leg, causing Catoblepas to growl in pain and back off. Both fighters were bleeding from various wounds as Cyrus stood firm.

Knowing that both he and the scythe-wielder were hurting, Catoblepas decided that, win or lose, he would end this with one final attack. Cyrus, seeing the look in the Behemoth King's eyes, knew what was coming as he downed a vial of adrenaline-boosting chemicals. Seconds later, both SeeD and monster rushed headlong into one another, looking for that final blow to end their struggle. The two then collided, Catoblepas with his one good horn and Cyrus with Defiant Reaper.

Catoblepas missed Cyrus's gut…Defiant Reaper did not miss Catoblepas's neck.

With one swift slash, Cyrus had slit the great Behemoth King's throat, just as he did to its minion back in Esthar. As Cyrus removed his blade, he could sense the life bleeding from Catoblepas like the blood from both their wounds. With his final seconds, Catoblepas managed to choke out:

"_**Good fight, youngling. You granted me a good death. Even better than my last. Go forth, human…and do the impossible one more time…"**_

"Got it," Cyrus muttered as Catoblepas fell to the ground, never to rise again. The Behemoth King's body vanished in a flash of electricity as Cyrus cast a series of curative magics on him to heal his bruises, cuts, and wounds. Once healed, he moved towards the staircase…only to be interrupted by two separate flashes of light, revealing his two teammates.

"Taizen!" Cyrus shouted as the first light revealed the massive SeeD. Taizen, though bloodied and bruised in his own right, was nonetheless in one piece. A second light then flashed, revealing Kyra. Cyrus, immediately overcome with concern, ran over to Kyra and embraced her.

"Hey, hotshot. You made it," Kyra quipped, her hand trying to hide the hole in her shoulder.

"So did you, Kyra. But you look like hell. Let me help."

Cyrus handed Kyra an X-Potion as he used a Curaga to close the wound caused by Krysta's blade. After he was finished, Cyrus tossed Taizen another X-Potion, which Taizen quickly drained. Cyrus was just about finished healing Kyra's shoulder when the crimson-haired fighter spoke up:

"Thanks, Cyrus. Listen, before we go through the gates of hell again, I want to tell you something."

Cyrus nodded. "Yeah…same here. And, maybe I've been hit in the head a few too many times and I may not be thinking clearly, but I have a feeling you and I have the same thing on our minds…"

Kyra slyly smiled as she started to lean in closer to Cyrus. "Well…"

Their embrace was interrupted by the sound of chanting. Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen quickly grabbed their weapons and waited at the bottom of the staircase. The chanting was soft at first, so quiet that the SeeDs couldn't hear the words. Eventually, the chants became louder and louder as the voices became clearer:

_Fithos…Lusec…Wecos…Vinosec…_

"That chant…" Cyrus muttered through clenched teeth as his grip on Defiant Reaper tightened. There, through the illuminated archway at the top of the stairs, stood a golden blonde woman in sheer white gown. Her skin was ivory-white and her eyes glowed yellow. She spoke in a vain and terrible voice as she addressed the three SeeDs standing below her.

"Mortal humans, warriors of destiny…the one you seek stands before you now.

"I am Hyne the Transcendent, and I command you to be in awe."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**The Supreme Sorceress, the Creator, the Goddess Hyne steps down from her throne to finally confront our heroes face-to-face. **

**And I seriously doubt this confrontation's going to end with a four-person tea party.**

**I'm going all-out with the next chapter, so stay tuned!**

**Thanks as always to all my awesome reviewers: BestInInfluence, ExtremeuGamer, trevorami, the Duelist of Dawn, B-Boy Philosophy, butcherthegirl, and Hiiro Mizutani. And thanks also goes out to SaloManiac, who went ahead and favorited my story. Thank you, my new fellow traveler, and I look forward to your review!**

**On a side note, the Wayward Warrior has suffered a bit of a loss. My Xbox 360 has decided to test my patience by showing the dreaded E74 Error Screen of Doom. Basically, my 360 has decided to stop playing my games, meaning that I can't get my Mass Effect 2 fix. If anyone knows how to fix this problem, let me know!**

**Life's too short to live with regrets. So, leave a review and let loose your regrets, my friends!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	47. Chapter 47

The three SeeDs stood in total silence as the Creator, Hyne, slowly walked down the staircase. Her curvaceous figure swayed as she deliberately took her time, taking as much time as she could to stand on the stairs, above the mortals that stood against her.

"Speechless?" Hyne asked rhetorically. "I cannot say I am surprised. It has been millennia since mortals have gazed upon my radiance. Age upon age, my spirit has been trapped in the abyss, separate from my body and my power. I must admit, it feels exhilarating to be alive again."

The goddess finally made her way to the bottom step. She stood several feet away from Cyrus, who happened to be the one closest to her. Hyne's gaze met Cyrus's glare as she continued to speak:

"Vascaroon's heir…it seems you insist on defying my will like your ancestor before you. And although this rabble is a far cry from the grand human army that Vascaroon assembled, I do admit it is still somewhat impressive."

All three SeeDs dropped into their battle stance as Hyne chuckled softly. "Humans, my ungrateful children…you wish to take up arms against me? I am appalled at your lack of wisdom.

"You three mortals have come far, that I grant you. Every step you have taken to this point, I bore witness to from the void. But consider: you have come as far as you have by borrowing my power. Your precious Guardian Forces…they are my essence given form and sentience. The strength you have come to rely upon is my lost power. You truly believe that you can overcome me with my own power? It is foolish to think such a thing, let alone…"

"Oh, would you shut up already?!" Cyrus raved, taking the goddess by surprise.

"You dare interrupt me?" Hyne demanded, anger evident in her tone.

"Better believe it," Cyrus shot back. "Look, this is the part where you go off on some long-winded rant about how almighty you are, and how we should just bow down and let you take over the world again. After that, I'd go into a heroic, defiant speech about the rights of humankind to decide its own fate and not have some whore for a goddess deciding our destiny for us. Trust me, I've seen enough bad movies to know where this is all going.

"But truth be told, I really don't care about any of that right now. I'm tired, sore, and I really want to finish this fight and end this mission so I can get myself a decent meal, take a nice long shower, and spent some much-needed quality time with a certain firecracker of a lady."

Cyrus paused to wink at Kyra, who reciprocated with her trademark smile. The scythe-wielder turned back to face Hyne and continued, "So, the way I see it, you've got two choices. Option One, you go find the nearest cliff, throw yourself off it, and go back to being a dead goddess and save us all a lot of trouble…or Option Two, you shut your mouth and just bring it, bitch."

"Impudent mortal! Arrogant insect!" Hyne hissed, her flawless face now contorted with rage. "You are too drunk on your own pride. If you wish to throw your lives away fighting your fate, then I will…"

Once again, Hyne was interrupted. Only instead of Cyrus butting in, the goddess was cut short by a familiar pillar of flames shooting up right in front of her, revealing the Demon Lord of Flames. Ifrit leaned in close to Hyne, his face within inches of the goddess's. He breathed hot ashes from his nostrils as he said in a low growl:

"Perhaps you did not hear my summoner. The time for talk is over. Either yield or be prepared to die…again."

The ugly look on Hyne's face didn't disappear as Ifrit reeled back and let loose one of his mighty punches. Hyne, however, vanished before Ifrit could connect with anything other than the floor. She reappeared at the top of the stairs as Ifrit leapt back to Cyrus's side. They were joined by Shiva and Quezacoatl, who had been summoned by Kyra and Taizen during the initial exchange between Ifrit and Hyne. The three SeeDs and their Guardian Forces stood defiant against Hyne as Cyrus spoke up.

"My fate is mine to decide. I will choose the path I want to follow, not the path you force me to walk. So bring it on, Hyne! We're SeeDs…and we're ready to defy the heavens and forge our own destiny!"

Hyne, now fully enraged, responded with an pure energy blast of arcane magic from her hands, aiming it at the rabble assembled below her. The magical blast exploded violently, shaking the atrium and ripping apart the tapestries that hung on its walls. Hyne was about to smile at her enemies' quick demise before Ifrit powered through the smoke and started to charge up the stairs towards the goddess. Quezacoatl and Shiva followed close behind the Demon Lord of Flames as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen grabbed their weapons and rushed up the stairs.

Ifrit was first to reach Hyne, and he attempted to crush the goddess with an emblazoned fist from the air. Hyne simply sidestepped as Ifrit crashed back to the ground. Hyne quickly retaliated with another strange spell that, when cast, collided into the Demon Lord of Flames and sent him careening back down the stairs and into the floor. Cyrus and his teammates had to duck as Ifrit flew past them, but they continued moving forward.

Before Hyne could react, Shiva struck first with a graceful yet forceful pirouette kick, sending Hyne across the balcony. The Ice Maiden then dug her heels into the floor as she charged up for a massive Diamond Dust. Hyne got back to her feet and conjured up another magic spell just as Shiva had cast her ultimate attack. The icy magic collided with Hyne's arcane magic as the goddess and the GF fought for dominance. Quezacoatl took advantage of the impasse as he unleashed his Thunder Storm above Hyne. Seeing the new threat, Hyne continued to hold off Shiva's Diamond Dust with one hand and brought the other hand up to cast a second spell at Quezacoatl's Thunder Storm. Almost effortlessly, Hyne held off Shiva and Quezacoatl's signature attacks before pouring in more energy to blast the Diamond Dust and Thunder Storm back at their casters, sending both Guardian Forces flying back and to the ground.

Hyne flicked the strand of hair that had been covering her right eye away as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen finished climbing the stairs and stood before her. All three SeeDs bore determination on their faces as all three rushed Hyne, weapons brandished and ready to strike. Cyrus led the charge and was the first to reach the goddess as he went for a lightning-fast horizontal slash with Defiant Reaper. Hyne, without even flinching, simply teleported out of the way and behind the SeeDs. Taizen, seeing that the goddess had flanked them, spun around and went for a vertical cleave with Knight's Valor. Hyne, in response, collected magic in her palm and brought her hand up to block the muscular SeeD's zweihander. Taizen continued to apply the pressure as Kyra circled around Taizen with her Phoenix Tears drawn, looking to gut the goddess herself. With her free hand, however, Hyne collected energy and released it in a pillar-like spell on Kyra and Taizen, sending both SeeDs rocketing back. The pillar spell then released its energy in a vicious maelstrom, causing part of the balcony to crumble to the ground with Kyra and Taizen in tow. Cyrus, still standing on the balcony, leapt over the gap and struck with Defiant Reaper, severing a few hairs from Hyne's head. Hyne, aghast that the mortal had gotten that close to actually wounding her, didn't respond as Cyrus glared at her with fire in his eyes. In a flash, Cyrus had turned Defiant Reaper's blade around and went for another strike. This time, Hyne managed to skillfully dodge the scythe blade as Cyrus unleashed a blistering series of attacks. Hyne continued to evade Cyrus's onslaught as the scythe wielder pushed the goddess back to the top of the staircase.

Cyrus was going for another overhead slice when Hyne quickly retaliated with another strange spell. This spell surrounded Cyrus in a sphere of yellow energy that restrained his movement as it slowly shrunk. When the sphere became too small to contain Cyrus, it exploded violently and left the scythe-wielder bloodied and in terrible pain. Without an inkling of remorse, Hyne sent Cyrus tumbling down the stairs with incredible force via another spell. The already battered SeeD was further punished as he continued to bounce down the stairs before landing in a heap at the bottom of the staircase, Defiant Reaper landing just out of reach.

Ifrit, sensing his summoner's pain, let loose a deafening roar as he took to the air. The fiery demon poured all of his strength into a massive fireball. Hyne stood still with an emotionless stare as Ifrit's eyes burned with rage. The Demon Lord of Flames raised his hands above his heads in an axe-handle grip as he bellowed, "Burn in the furnace of my anger! HELL FIRE!"

Ifrit slammed the fireball with every last ounce of his strength, sending the Hell Fire rocketing towards Hyne. In defense, Hyne conjured a barrier around herself, holding off Ifrit's signature attack. The Demon Lord of Flames, unwilling to yield, tried to will the massive Hell Fire forward and through Hyne's shield. It was then that Quezacoatl and Shiva stood behind their comrade and cast Thunder Storm and Diamond Dust at Hyne's shield. The combined efforts of the three GFs seemed to be for naught as Cyrus struggled back to his feet, picked up Defiant Reaper, and quickly moved to regroup with Kyra and Taizen.

Then, as the three SeeDs rejoined one another at the foot of the staircase, Cyrus heard a distinct "crack" come from Hyne's barrier. Sure enough, Ifrit, Shiva, and Quezacoatl had managed to damage the goddess's protective spell with their combined attacks. Seconds later, Hyne's barrier completely shatters as the goddess was quickly engulfed in a torrent of lightning, ice, and fire magic. The magical storm lasted for close to a minute before it collapsed and imploded, unleashing a powerful energy blast that completely destroyed the balcony and the staircase. Cyrus cast a Shell spell on his teammates and himself as the wave of magical energy washed over them, creating a blinding haze of dust, debris, and light. Ifrit, Shiva, and Quezacoatl hovered above the carnage, wondering if they had managed to end the fight.

"Meddlesome remnants…" a voice called out from the haze. Humans and Guardian Forces alike turned towards the sound of the voice as the dust started to settle and the light began to dim.

There, standing in the middle of the ruined balcony, stood an unscathed Hyne.

"A valiant effort, my dear remnants, but valor cannot overcome the power of a goddess," Hyne said with a slight snarl. As she spoke, her magical energy began to climb as her long blonde hair started to sway as if a great wind had just blown through the atrium. "I shall show you the futility of your resistance."

With that, Hyne stretched her arms above her head as the ceiling began glowing in a medley of different colors. The GFs looked confused as they feverishly searched for where the attack was coming from. Then, in an instant, streams of pure light descended from the ceiling, piercing through the Guardian Forces as Hyne lowered her arms and crossed them across her chest, her palms open.

"Begone…"

Once she had spoken, Hyne clenched her hands as the light streams began to inflict horrible pain on the GFs. Ifrit, Shiva, and Quezacoatl all shouted in agony as the streams flooded their bodies with powerful, arcane magic that even they could not bear.

"Ifrit!" Cyrus shouted to his partner as Ifrit continued to suffer at the hands of Hyne.

"Shiva, no!" Kyra pleaded, hoping against hope that the pain the Ice Maiden was enduring would end.

Taizen said nothing, but the concern was evident in his eyes as Quezacoatl continued to writhe. Finally, the Guardian Forces had no choice to leave the mortal plane and return to their summoners' minds. As Ifrit, Shiva, and Quezacoatl retreated, the Demon Lord of Flames spoke from inside Cyrus's mind:

"_**Cyrus…forgive me. The pain…I was not strong enough to endure."**_

"_You've done enough, partner. I'll handle the rest," _Cyrus promised his GF compatriot as the scythe-wielder turned his attention back to Hyne. Her hair stopped swaying as the energy from her last attack subsided.

"The damage those beasts have done to my palace is impressive," Hyne quipped, an arrogant smile forming on her lips. "But I'm afraid even their combined might was not enough to end me. So, what will you mortals do, now that your vaunted Guardians have fallen?"

Cyrus lowered his gaze in an attempt to calm the rancor building in his heart. It wasn't working.

"Do you finally understand, reaper?" Hyne inquired as she stepped away from the wreckage. "It was mere luck that allowed Vascaroon to slay me in ages past. His army distracted my knights, giving that wretched man the chance to drive his blade through my body. Three mere humans cannot hope to stand against the divine. I am not simply a sorceress, heir of Vascaroon…I am magic incarnate! I am an eternal being! I am perfection!"

The scythe-wielder didn't say a word for several seconds. Kyra, concerned that the man she loved had lost his will to fight, was about to walk up to him when he finally spoke up:

"'Magic incarnate,' huh? Is that supposed to impress me, Hyne? Do you think I give a damn what you want to call yourself? And where do you get off calling me and my friends mere humans?"

Cyrus straightened up as he looked Hyne dead in the eye. The rage in Cyrus was evident in his glare as Defiant Reaper rested on his shoulder. "However he managed to do it, Vascaroon managed to kill a god…which means there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to do the same!"

Kyra and Taizen, spurred by Cyrus's words, readied themselves for another attack as Cyrus continued, "You say you're perfection? Well, then, all we have to do is hand you the perfect defeat! Kyra, Taizen…let's show this bitch just who the hell she's dealing with!"

Taizen nodded as Kyra shouted, "Damn straight!" With that, the three SeeDs threw caution to the wind as they rushed the goddess Hyne, weapons held high. Hyne found herself surrounded by steel as Cyrus, Kyra, and Taizen attacked her all at once. The barrage was fierce; just as Hyne would dodge one of the SeeD's attacks, she found herself facing another fighter and a different style of attack. The constant assault forced Hyne to use her teleportation magic in rapid succession, leaving her unable to counter with any of her devastating attack spells.

Hyne had just dodged a massive blow from Knight's Valor with a quick teleport…only to find herself face-to-face with Cyrus. Defiant Reaper twitched in Cyrus's hands, almost as if it could smell blood. The scythe-wielder held his weapon high above his head as he used all of his strength to bring the blade down hard on the goddess. In an act of desperation, Hyne solidified magic in her left palm and used it to block Defiant Reaper's blade.

"Finally!" Cyrus shouted. "Kyra, Taizen! Finish her off!"

Hyne, realizing that she was now exposed, frantically turned to see Kyra and Taizen rushing her from different angles, not giving her any real means of dodging them both. Instead, Hyne used her free hand to launch two compact energy orbs at Cyrus's friends. Both Kyra and Taizen used their blades to block the orbs, but they nevertheless exploded with substantial force, knocking both back and to the ground. Hyne then turned her attention to Cyrus, as she cast another magic orb straight into Cyrus's gut. Without Defiant Reaper to block it, Cyrus felt the full force of Hyne's ancient magic tear into him as the orb sent him flying back into a decorative marble pillar, crumbing it as Cyrus fell to the ground in a heap.

The scythe-wielder struggled to get up, but his limbs would not cooperate. The most he could do was raise his head…and see Hyne standing in front of him. She was uninjured, but she looked somewhat exhausted.

Cyrus couldn't help himself. "For an all-powerful goddess, you look a little out of shape, Hyne."

That comment raised Hyne's ire as she quickly floated over to Cyrus and raised his battered body into the air with her magic. She then made a pushing motion with her right arm and pinned Cyrus against the wall. Cyrus, surrounded by the magical field, couldn't move and he couldn't reach Defiant Reaper lying on the ground below him.

"Leave him alone, bitch!" Kyra shouted as she and Taizen rushed over to aid their captain. Hyne, almost as an afterthought, cast her barrier around herself and Cyrus, leaving Kyra and Taizen on the outside looking in. Kyra furiously slashed away at the barrier with her Phoenix Tears and Soul Crushers as Hyne turned her attention back to Cyrus.

"Your comrades cannot save you now, reaper," Hyne whispered in a vindictive, yet alluring tone. "I hold your life in my grasp, as well it should be. Beg, mortal…swallow your pride and plead for your life. Show your friends…show that woman that you care so much for just how easy it is for you to be broken."

"Fuck off," Cyrus managed to croak as the magic holding him tightened its grip. Hyne continued to keep Cyrus pinned as she got within inches of the scythe-wielder's face.

Hyne's lips curled into a sinister smile as she muttered, "So defiant, even in the end. So many battles waged, so many lives taken, and yet you cannot accept defeat. No mortal, not even Vascaroon himself, has been or will ever be strong enough to defy the will of the heavens...my will. The small victory your ancestor achieved was a fleeting dream. My will created this world, and it will rule it until the end of time!"

Meanwhile, Kyra, still unable to break through, could only watch as Hyne squeezed the life out of Cyrus. Knowing what pain Cyrus must be in, Kyra along with Taizen continued to try and break the barrier down with their blades, magic, and their fists. Just when all seemed lost, Kyra noticed something strange inside the barrier…Cyrus laughing.

Even though she had no idea what the scythe-wielder thought was so funny, she still had to shake her head and smile. She turned to Taizen who had just used a series of Thundagas on the barrier, with no effect.

"Tai, that's enough," Kyra told her hulking teammate. Taizen looked at her as if she had finally gone completely insane before Kyra continued, "Something tells me that Cyrus is about to do something stupid, and we might want to back off."

Taizen was confused, but once he saw Cyrus laughing in the face of the Creator, decided that Kyra was right as both SeeDs retreated a safe distance away from the barrier. Hyne, seeing Kyra and Taizen fall back, turned back to a still-laughing Cyrus.

"Why do you laugh, mortal? You have lost, and your comrades have abandoned you."

"Abandoned? Not quite," Cyrus replied as he stopped laughing. A familiar smirk formed on his face as his energy started to climb. "You see, Kyra knows what's coming next, and she didn't want to be caught up in the blast."

"What?!" Hyne demanded as the energy building in Cyrus expanded and released in a matter of seconds, shattering all the vials in Cyrus's coat instantaneously. The resulting explosion caught Hyne with her guard down and destroyed her barrier. To the goddess's shock, the explosion also bathed the atrium in blinding light. It was so bright that Hyne couldn't see a thing for nearly a minute.

When the light did subside, Hyne found herself standing in the center of the atrium, the ruined staircase behind her. To her left stood Taizen, his zweihander resting upright in the floor. On her right was Kyra, who had sheathed her daggers and had her hands on her hips all while flashing her trademark smile. Confused, Hyne pointed her palm at the crimson-haired fighter and formed another magic sphere.

"What is this? Why do you just stand there, mortals?"

"Don't mind us, your holiness," Kyra replied tauntingly. "We just don't want to get in his way."

"His…way?" Hyne asked herself as she finally turned her attention forward. There, standing as if he had not taken any damage at all throughout this battle, was a shirtless Cyrus Ranto. All the muscles in his arms and torso twitched in anticipation as he continued to exude energy. The scythe-wielder rested his weapon on his shoulder as he stood there, confident as ever.

"Hey, Hyne! Bet it's been a while since you've seen a handsome man with his shirt off!" Cyrus called out as his energy continued to build.

"How dare you, you repugnant human!"

"Wow, now that's just mean!" Cyrus shot back. "But never mind that. You're not my type, anyway."

"What is the meaning of this? Are you so foolhardy that you would challenge me alone?" Hyne asked vehemently as she sent the magical orb flying at Cyrus. Cyrus, almost nonchalantly, swatted the orb out of harm's way with a swift swing of his scythe. Hyne, in response, began focusing her energy for another magical assault when she noticed something…

"That weapon…what happened to it? It has changed?!"

"Noticed that, huh?" Cyrus answered as he shouldered this scythe. "It's…difficult to explain. Better just to show you. First off, this scythe's an old favorite with a new look! Allow me to introduce you to Dark Tempest!"

Cyrus pointed Dark Tempest (a straight-shafted scythe with a black and gray-swirl color scheme, a demonic claw for a shaft end, and a batwing-shaped blade) into the air as it gave off an unearthly glow. The skies above him opened as a mysterious red-cloaked hand dropped two more scythes next to Cyrus.

"Inferno and Defiant Reaper…it's like a walk down memory lane…"

"Explain yourself, heir of Vascaroon!" Hyne demanded as her energy reached critical levels. "What are you plotting? You cannot believe you have the strength to strike me down. It is impossible!"

"Listen, Hyne. I've made it this far by doing what many called 'impossible.' You want to know why we resist? It's simple: humanity has unlimited potential. We grow, we evolve, and we get stronger. You call yourself a goddess, but you abilities are capped, limited. But I'm tired of talking to a soon-to-be dead deity. Time to show you just what I can do with my scythes, and prove once and for all that the gods have nothing compared to the power of the human spirit!"

Cyrus gathered his three scythes and leapt high into the air, right above Hyne. Hyne, despite her confusion, poured all her hatred into a large Ultima-like spell and cast it at the hovering reaper. However, before it could reach Cyrus, a pair of Flare spells from Taizen and Kyra intercepted Hyne's spell and nullified it. With that opening, Cyrus threw his three scythes down around Hyne, forming a circle around the sorceress-goddess. Cyrus then landed on the ground in a flash as the spirits of Diablos, Ifrit, and Bahamut flew from Dark Tempest, Inferno, and Defiant Reaper and into the scythe-wielder's hand. The spirits coalesced into a brand new scythe, combining the swept shaft design of Inferno, the blade of Defiant Reaper, and the shaft end of Dark Tempest. Unlike the others, this scythe was gold in color and exuded a calming yet forceful energy of its own.

"Soul of the Guardians," Cyrus announced. "This weapon is the combined power of my three Guardian Forces, bound together by my spirit. You know, Option One's still available if you've decided not to face me."

Hyne said nothing as she gathered her energy. Cyrus sighed as he crouched down into his battle stance.

"_Always have to do it the hard way," _Cyrus mentally muttered. _"You guys ready to end this?"_

"_**We are," **_Ifrit said as Cyrus could sense Diablos and Bahamut agreeing.

"Then let's end this!" Cyrus exclaimed as he raced towards Hyne. Hyne, seeing the incoming scythe-wielder, summoned all of her magical might and directed one final spell at Cyrus. Cyrus and Hyne's spell collided in one last burst of blinding light, leaving Kyra and Taizen unable to see as the light expanded beyond the atrium and Hyne's Palace itself. The world around them faded into the bright light of Alio before vanishing in one great flash…

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**W-w-what? No, there's no way I can possibly leave it on a cliffhanger like that!**

**Oh wait...I'm the Exile. I can do whatever I damn well please! MWAHAHAHAHA!!!**

**Ahem, anyway, sorry about the massive cliffhanger. I was planning on finishing this fight, going through the fallout, and then doing an epilogue chapter. But when I started writing this, I figured I'd just do one last full chapter after this in lieu of an epilogue. So, if you just gotta know how the battle with Hyne ended, you'll just have to wait for the last chapter!**

**And now, Nero wants to thank the reviewers from last chapter!**

**_Nero: No, I don't._**

**_Truth: Come on, Nero! Duelist has Machina thank his reviewers. Why can't you do it?_**

**_Nero: Not my job._**

**_Truth: Oh, for the love of Truth, just do it already!_**

**_Nero: Hmph. Fine. Cyrus Truth wants to thank trevorami, B-Boy Philosophy, ExtremeuGamer, butcherthegirl, the Duelist of Dawn, and the newest reviewer Angel Avery. Your feedback is continuously appreciated. Can I go now?_**

**_Truth: Yeah, yeah. Admit it though...you had fun doing that._**

**_Nero: I'd be lying if I said I did. See you later, Truth._**

**Geez, what a grouch.**

**Anyway, first verse same as the last verse. Review!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**

**P.S. The poll on my profile page WILL close a week after I post my final chapter for this story. So if you haven't voted, or if you REALLY want me to go into a specific game universe, make sure you cast your vote before then!**

**P.S.S. Whoever is responsible for cursing my Xbox 360 is in a whole lot of trouble.**


	48. Chapter 48

Nothing made Squall Leonhart more frustrated than having his students go off to war and leaving him behind.

After Ezerath's final incantation and the subsequent flash of light, Squall found himself kneeling on the ground, alone in the deep sea cavern with Rinoa in his arms. Knowing what magic like Ezerath's was capable of doing, the gunblade swordsman could only hope that Cyrus Ranto and his team were alive and transported somewhere else by the Seraphim Prophet's dying spell. The alternative didn't sit well with the SeeD Commander…

"Squall," Rinoa spoke up weakly, her body still coping with the sudden loss of her sorceress powers. "The kids…will they be all right?"

Squall wanted to say something reassuring, but he couldn't bring himself to ignore the obvious.

"…I don't know," the gunblader admitted truthfully before adding, "but I hope they are."

Rinoa nodded groggily as Squall heard the sound of rapidly-approaching footsteps. His protective instincts kicking in, Squall immediately got back to his feet as he reached for Revolver, which had transformed back from Lionheart. To Squall's relieve, the footsteps belonged to his friends, who despite being battered and bloodied were no worse for wear. Zell, Quistis, Selphie, and Irvine ran up to join Squall and Rinoa, relief written in their faces.

"Squall! Rin! You two are all right!" Zell shouted as he raised his fist in the air in victory. Selphie and Irvine also cheered in joy as Quistis knelt down beside Rinoa.

"Rinoa, are you all right? You don't look well at all," the blonde SeeD remarked.

Squall was about to explain what had happened when he was interrupted by a familiar, boastful voice.

"Hell, that was great! Chalk up another epic victory for Seifer and his posse!"

Squall shook his head in disbelief as his gunblade-wielding rival sauntered into the cavern, followed closely as ever by Fujin and Raijin. Seifer, acting as if he had just taken on the Seraphim Society single-handedly and won, pushed past the rest of Destiny's Six before coming face-to-face with Squall.

"Long time, no see, Squall. How's things?" Seifer asked in his typical cocky manner.

Squall, ignoring Seifer's question, asked one of his own. "What are you doing here, Seifer?"

"Relax, Mr. Leader. I'm only here to lend an extra gunblade," Seifer explained. "Your boy Cyrus Ranto and I met up in FH while he was searching the world for you and Garden. He told me what was happening and let me know where to find this place. Figured you could use a little extra muscle dealing with these Seraphim jackasses."

After he finished speaking, Seifer immediately noticed something…or someone…was missing from this picture. "Speaking of that punk, what the hell did you do to him and his friends? Weren't they supposed to come and save your sorry ass?"

Squall's shoulders slumped as he explained to everyone present what had happened, from Rinoa losing her powers, the battle with Ezerath and Eden, and all the way to the mysterious flash of light that Cyrus and his team disappeared in. Everyone present became very quiet upon hearing Squall's tale save for one.

"Damn it!" Zell roared as he punched the ground in anger. He then turned to Seifer and grabbed the swordsman's gray jacket. "This is your fault, Seifer! It was your stupid idea to have those kids go on ahead! Because of you…"

"Zell, that's enough," Squall ordered. The tattooed fighter, after several seconds, let Seifer go with a huff. Before Squall could say anything else, he felt a strange energy coming from the cavern's central altar. The others felt it too as they turned towards the altar and saw a faint light emanate from the central pit. That light slowly grew larger and larger until it encompassed the entire cavern, blinding the SeeDs, Seifer, and Seifer's gang as it left all of them wondering what was going on.

A minute later, the light finally subsided as the nine icons of the Second Sorceress War found that they were no longer alone. On one side of the altar stood a tall, muscular young man who carried a massive white-bladed sword. On the other side stood a slender, athletic-looking woman with blood red hair wearing a leather overcoat emblazoned with white sparrows on the shoulders.

Up near the altar were two other figures. One, facing Squall and the others, was a blonde woman with ivory skin wearing a sheer white dress. She was hunched over and clenching at her stomach. On her flawless face was a look of complete and utter shock.

Standing next to the woman and facing the opposite wall was a bloodied and heavily-bruised man with golden brown hair and no shirt on his back. His body bore many scars from battles both past and present. Nevertheless, although unseen by Squall and his comrades, the man at the altar maintained a fiery look in his eyes. In the man's hands was a golden scythe, which glowed softly in the dim cavern. The man's hands were wrapped firmly around its shaft…

…whereas its blade was dug deep into the gut of the woman in white.

"Ranto?" Squall blurted out, recognizing the scythe wielder. Cyrus Ranto, still completely stoic, turned his attention to the victim impaled by his scythe's blade.

"You've lost, Hyne," Cyrus muttered to the wounded goddess as he continued to apply the pressure with the mystical Soul of the Guardians.

"How…" Hyne said, almost as if she was choking. "How did it come to this? Bested by a mortal…slain again by my own creations? I…I am eternal…"

"Nothing lasts forever, Hyne," Cyrus interrupted. "You created humanity and enslaved them millennia ago. You tried to do it again. Did you just expect us to roll over like the Seraphim Society? The brave fear not the grave; instead, they push forward no matter what the odds. If one has the will, they can touch the untouchable, break the unbreakable, and achieve the impossible."

"Cursed…reaper," Hyne hissed as blood started to seep from her lips. "This changes nothing. I may fall here today…but I will rise again. I will endure in the abyss, and you will wither and die. You may have slain me…but as long as magic remains in this world, there will always be a way for me to return to life."

"Yeah, that's true," Cyrus admitted as he jerked the blade of Soul of the Guardians from Hyne's abdomen, allowing the blood to flow freely from the wound. Hyne fell to her knees, clutching her stomach in agony as Cyrus stepped behind her, turned the scythe's blade around, and pressed it against the goddess's throat.

"If nothing else, you have proven that gods will rise again when given the opportunity. And I'd be a fool to think you couldn't pull off another resurrection. Thing is, I'm okay with that. I've done all I could…the rest is out of my hands.

"But keep this in your thoughts as you drift in the abyss: twice humanity has stood against you and your will, and twice you've ended up dead. What makes you think that the third time's going to end differently?"

Hyne felt the scythe blade tighten on her throat as Cyrus continued, "As long as good men and women continue to fight the good fight, you'll never get a chance to dominate humanity again. I place my faith in the continuing strength and growth of the human spirit, and will strike you down today knowing that my faith is well placed…"

As Cyrus finished speaking, he tightened his grip on Soul of the Guardians. In one swift motion, Cyrus swung the mystical scythe with all his might, decapitated Hyne, and brought his weapon to rest on his left shoulder. Hyne, the Creator Goddess and Supreme Sorceress, was killed in an instant as her head fell from the altar and down the central pit. Her body fell softly to the ground as Soul of the Guardians changed back into Defiant Reaper.

Everyone save for Kyra and Taizen looked on at this exchange between the scythe-wielder and the goddess with looks of surprise and shock. Cyrus, ignoring his speechless superiors, nodded once at Taizen as he stepped down from the altar and walked over to Kyra. The two SeeDs smiled at one another for several seconds before Cyrus took the initiative and wrapped his arms around the crimson-haired fighter's waist, pulling her in for an embrace. Kyra, without hesitating, returned the embrace as the two stood there in each other's arms.

"Ranto!" Squall shouted, cutting Cyrus and Kyra's embrace short. The scythe-wielder rolled his eyes as he turned to face his Commander.

"What the hell just happened?" Squall demanded in his typical passive-aggressive tone. Cyrus was about to give a quick debriefing when something caught his eye back towards the altar…

"Commander!" Cyrus exclaimed. "Look! Over by the altar!"

Squall, along with everyone else, focused their attention at the central altar, where Hyne's headless body began to glow. Seconds later, the goddess's corpse dissolved into two separate streams of pure magical energy. One stream collided with Rinoa, encompassing her with the magical energy. Squall, seeing what was happening with his wife, turned his attention away from Cyrus and back to her.

The second stream turned and joined with Kyra, the force of which prevented Cyrus from reaching the crimson-haired fighter. Cyrus, frantically trying to understand what was going on, could do nothing but wait as the energy surrounding both Rinoa and Kyra finally calmed and vanished. Both ladies looked exhausted as Squall and Cyrus ran to Rinoa and Kyra respectively.

"Rinoa…are you all right?" Squall asked.

"Kyra!" Cyrus shouted worryingly. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"Ugh…" Kyra groaned as Cyrus helped her back to her feet. "Wha…what just happened? I feel…strange. Almost like I junctioned with a new GF, but I can't feel any new consciousness in my mind…"

As she spoke, the energy that had fused with her spiked, catching Cyrus off-guard. Seconds later, the energy dissipated, leaving Kyra confused. "What is this? Where did this power come from?!"

"The Sorcery Transference," Rinoa finally spoke up, standing up on her own two legs beside her husband. "When a sorceress dies, she must transfer her powers before she can rest in peace. Even if that sorceress is Hyne herself…"

Rinoa walked towards Cyrus and Kyra as Squall and the rest of the senior fighters followed close behind. Taizen continued to stand where he was with his arms crossed and a pensive look on his face. The raven-haired sorceress, after reaching Cyrus and Kyra, lowered her gaze as she continued to explain:

"When Cyrus struck Hyne down, the powers stolen from me were returned to me. But, my powers only made up one-half of Hyne's total strength. The other half…the stolen magical essence from that Guardian Force, now rests with you."

"Me?" Kyra repeated as she pointed to herself. "I'm…a sorceress?"

Rinoa nodded. "Right. But don't worry! Being a sorceress is a burden, but it's not all bad! You could do a lot of good with that power. And once you find a knight to stand by your side…"

"That's enough, Counselor," Cyrus interrupted. Until that moment, Cyrus had been silently listening to Rinoa, but something inside him compelled him to break his silence.

"Cyrus? What do you mean?" Rinoa asked, taken aback by Cyrus's interjection.

Cyrus sighed as he set Defiant Reaper down on the ground. "I appreciate you explaining this to us. The thing is, Kyra doesn't need a knight."

"And why's that, Ranto?" Squall asked.

Cyrus's lips curved into a smirk as he turned back toward Kyra.

"Because she already has one."

Kyra, after hearing Cyrus's statement, looked the scythe-wielder eye-to-eye. "Cyrus? You really mean that?"

Cyrus nodded. "If you'll have me…my lady."

Kyra answered Cyrus by wrapping her arms around his neck and meeting his lips with her own in a fiery, passionate kiss. Cyrus, almost immediately, wrapped his arms around Kyra's waist as the two SeeDs continued to drink one another in. Squall, Seifer, and the rest of the senior fighters couldn't help but gawk as the crimson-haired sorceress and her scythe-wielding knight continued embracing as their kiss lingered on.

Taizen, however, had already sheathed Knight's Valor and was making his way to the cavern's exit. Once he reached it, Taizen stole a quick glance back at his two teammates. Shaking his head, Taizen let slip a genuine smile as he said:

"Took those two long enough."

With that, Taizen turned and walked out of the cavern. Seifer, finally turning his attention away from Cyrus and Kyra, noticed Taizen walking away without a single word.

"Hey, Squall," Seifer whispered as he nudged the SeeD Commander. "I think the big guy's got the right idea. What do you say we get out of here and leave these two alone?"

Squall, for the first time in a long time, found himself agreeing with his rival. With a single nod, he and Seifer led their respective troops towards the cavern exit and started walking the long walk back to the surface. Once they were finally alone, Cyrus broke off the kiss as he looked over his shoulder and said, "Finally! Thought they'd never get the hint."

"No kidding," Kyra agreed, her arms still around Cyrus's neck. "So, want to follow them?"

Cyrus shook his head as he smiled. "Nah. I'm good like this for a while. How about you?"

Kyra laughed. "I'm still pretty comfortable. But…be a good knight and come here."

"Whatever my lady wants," Cyrus replied as he leaned in closer. The two closed their eyes as their lips met in another kiss…

* * *

**Two Weeks Later**

Balamb Garden, now reattached to its docking platform, was in a state of jubilation. After spending the last couple of weeks wiping out the remaining Seraphim Society forces, helping Fury Caraway reestablish his presidency in Deling City, returning the majority of the Guardian Forces to their respective lairs, and destroying the last of the Alio Crystals, the SeeDs and SeeD cadets from all three Gardens had gathered together for an impromptu multi-Garden Festival.

Preparing to deliver a speech to the entire SeeD collective was Taizen Kouken in his SeeD uniform. Uncomfortable with the prospect of speaking in front of every SeeD and SeeD cadet in the Garden Alliance, Taizen nevertheless remained focused as he reviewed his talking points in his head while he was waiting behind the stage set up in the Quad.

"Hey, Taizen!" Quistis Trepe shouted from behind Taizen. The massive swordsman turned to face the chain whip specialist, who also was wearing her SeeD uniform.

"Instructor Trepe," Taizen acknowledge with a nod.

"You're looking good. Ready to deliver that stirring and charismatic speech?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Taizen said, somewhat unsurely. "Cyrus was usually the one who delivered the speeches in our little group."

"So I noticed," Quistis replied. "That Cyrus…even after killing the goddess Hyne herself, he's still the same slacker. He couldn't even bother to show up today."

"With all due respect, Instructor," Taizen interjected, "he had a previous engagement that required his full attention."

"What are you talking about?"

Taizen turned his back to Quistis, hiding the smile that threatened to show on his face. "Have you not noticed that Kyra is missing as well?"

Quistis, finally realizing what Taizen was alluding to, couldn't help but shake her head and laugh. Taizen, after hearing his name announced, straightened the creases out of his uniform as he started to walk out on stage.

"_**Cyrus owes you greatly for handling this speech for him," **_Alexander's voice boomed inside of Taizen's mind.

"_Not really…but I will be sure to let him know what you said," _Taizen mentally replied as he stepped onto the stage and was greeted by thunderous applause…

* * *

Meanwhile, a mile or so off the coast of Fisherman's Horizon, the Valeria floated gently in the calm, blue sea. Lying on the deck was a tanned Cyrus Ranto, wearing nothing but a pair of khaki shorts and sandals.

As he lied there, his mind drifted back to the events in the last two weeks: leading a SeeD task force to the Alio Ruins, collaborating with his father to scuttle Battleship Island, releasing Ifrit back into the Fire Cavern…

Cyrus sighed. It had been hard to let go of Ifrit, but the Demon Lord of Flames assured him that another SeeD cadet would need his strength more than Cyrus would and that Bahamut was a better fit as a GF for the scythe-wielder at this point in his development. Cyrus, accepting Ifrit's wisdom, released Ifrit and Diablos as Bahamut agreed to continue lending Cyrus his strength.

It had been much the same for Kyra and Taizen, as they returned their GFs to their respective lairs but kept their junctions with the Phoenix and Alexander. It was decided by the Garden Alliance that Cyrus and his friends were best suited to handle the massive power granted to them by the legendary Guardian Forces.

Cyrus wasn't about to argue. Especially since he had ruffled a few feathers by skipping out on the speech that Headmaster Cid had asked him to deliver at the Garden Festival…

"Thinking about something?" a familiar, sexy voice shouted from the back of the Valeria. Cyrus sat up as he saw Kyra walking up to him…wearing a very snug black bikini.

"No…no I am not thinking about anything at this particular moment," Cyrus blurted out as his eyes continued scanning Kyra over and over again.

"You really are incorrigible, hotshot," Kyra said with a chuckle as she sat down next to Cyrus. She then placed her hand on Cyrus's lap as she continued, "But seriously…are you having second thoughts about leaving Taizen to handle the crowds alone?"

"A little," Cyrus admitted, "but Taizen can handle it. Besides, this is the first chance you and I have had to be alone in two weeks. I'm not about to let some Garden party get between you and me."

Kyra nodded in agreement. "Well, right now there's nothing between you and me. Looks like you got what you wanted."

"'Never let the unimportant get between you and a good thing,'" Cyrus quipped.

"And what rule is that?" Kyra asked.

Cyrus leaned in and planted a quick kiss on Kyra's lips. "Don't know. I just made it up."

Both Cyrus and Kyra got a hearty laugh out of that as Kyra gently pushed Cyrus down on the deck and climbed on top of him. Her long, red hair cascaded down her shoulders as she leaned in and whispered, "I love you, Cyrus Ranto."

"And I love you, Kyra Vanguard," Cyrus replied. "Now, shut up and kiss me."

"With pleasure," Kyra replied as her lips met her knight's. The young sorceress laid on top of Cyrus as the two held onto one another, enjoying this moment to its fullest. In Cyrus's mind, whatever worries and concerns he had for the future…whatever machinations the heavens would try to impose on him…were pushed aside and rendered unimportant by two more potent truths:

He was in love with Kyra Vanguard, sorceress and all.

And he was a SeeD.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**And thus this journey ends...hope it was good for all of you!**

**This was a bit of a challenge at times to finish, but I'm very happy with how it all turned out. And from your reviews, many of you were pleased with it as well!**

**As of today, this story has amassed 244 reviews, 7275 hits, 24 favorites, and 18 alerts. I am absolutely floored by the support the FanFiction community has shown me!**

**And as always, thanks to all the wonderful reviewers: the Duelist of Dawn, Hiiro Mizutani, BestInInfluence, Ally Todd, B-Boy Philosophy, Angel Avery, ExtremeuGamer, butcherthegirl, trevorami, noc, Onar, cloudfightback, ceedubya0275, pacificuser, Taeniaea, ZantokXIII, Kirie05, and Vicious Death. Thank you all for taking the time to review this story and for keeping me motivated.**

**Now, as I mentioned last chapter, you have until next week Sunday to vote in my poll. Your vote could determine what universe my next story will be written in. So, get off your asses and vote already!**

**It'll probably be a month or so before I actually start uploading my self-insert, so please be patient. I promise, your waiting will be rewarded!**

**And as always, please leave a review and honestly let me know if this story met your expectations.**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


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